Outside Looking In
by E-finch
Summary: Liz is the type of girl you don't notice, but because of a project, she's about to get wrapped up in the world of the X-men. It's like a smack to the face for her. Literally.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: Outside Looking In**

**Warning: Nothing major,in my case at least. Slight violence, cursing, nothing much else.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own the characters in this story or the tv show. The only thing I'm adding is the character Elizabeth. **

**A/N: This is pretty much just for fun. So don't go and kill me because I'm adding in my own character. I really don't care. It's not like me at all, I know, but I felt like it when I was rewatching all of these old superhero cartoons I grew up on. So, this I what I'd want a character to be like if I made her. Taking place within the first season, seeing as I've only rewatched up to there, and I can't much remember anything else. XD And I swear this isn't a mary-sue.**

* * *

**Outside Looking In:**

**Prologue **

* * *

What is with the bad guys and always hitting you in the head? Well, that was actually a stupid question, really. Why not the head? It does a good job in knocking anyone out. Or giving them a concussion or just making them all discombobulated for a while. Really though, damn it hurts! Of course, I realized that now, but I never thought I'd had to. Maybe that's what comes with having your newest friends being crazy mutant superheroes.

Hopefully they are the superhero type and can come find me. Where ever I am…

It's dark, really dark. So much so I can't see more than a foot in front of me and it sucks. Here I thought having friends would be fun. Well, new friends. I have friends. Just not...here. And not the type that can come SAVE ME!

It was a win-lose situation. Win, because hey, I got new friends. Lose, because I'm the hostage now. A hostage? Man, I didn't wake up today and say "Well, maybe I'll become the hostage for the enemy of my new friends so they can come into a trap and everyone possible dies! Sounds like a good day!"

Lovely. Just, lovely.

Well, while I'm stuck here, might as well go from the beginning…

* * *

**Chapter One**

**The Invisible Girl**

* * *

"Alright, today is the day everyone get's their semester project. Due in one month, I'm handing out the rubrics with your topic and who your partner is."

I could hear the whole class groaning at Mr. Greerman's newest assignment, even in my sleep. If there is one way to make the whole class hate you at once, it was to give them a project that involved working with someone they didn't pick. It disrupted the balance of the high school world, make different people mingle and talk. Horrible, isn't it?

When the paper landed on my head, I just turned the other way. Greerman was cool like that and he knew about my sleeping in class habit. That's why I loved history so much. He gave out another order to find your partner and start planning it. This would be a fun class. And no one will get anything done.

The class all mumbling stood up to go get their project buddy, I wanted to smash my head on the desk because they were so loud, and how could anyone ever sleep in here?! Teenagers don't know how to lower their freaking voices, but maybe that's a good thing, as I heard someone say:

"Who's Elizabeth Finch?"

"I don't know, man. I didn't even know we had an Elizabeth in our class."

This made me want to laugh, stand up and shout, and also slap someone. I wasn't that hard to remember, was I? But, Mr. G being awesome fixed everything by telling the two males (their voices were masculine, and I also had a good idea of who they were by the accents) who I was, and hopefully pointing the way over to me. It was kind of sad how no one knew who I was, when I sat in the very first desk in class.

"Good luck with her." One of the boy's said to his friend, going off with his own partner.

The next thing that came was an "Excuse me—" but I cut him off, raising a hand and slapped away the finger that was coming down to poke my shoulder.

I lifted by head up just enough to see who my newest partner was and let out a groan from the sleep still covering me, not at who it was. I was actually very happy with who it was, because I've been meaning to talk to the kid for a while now, but never got the guts. The accent just gave it all away.

"Don't poke me, I hate that." I said, finally lifting my body from the desk and stretching long and hard.

"But, vern't you asleep? I mean—" His voice was sort of startled, maybe because just now he realized I existed. Pretty pathetic, hu?

"Ya, I was. But now I'm not. I could hear you the whole time. Doesn't everyone know how to pay attention in their sleep?" I rubbed my eyes, getting all the sleep out and grabbed the project paper from the floor. I had a feeling this was going to be a long day.

"Sorry, I didn't—" I interrupted him again with a finger to my lips, telling him to be quiet.

"So, we have to do a project on a point in time that changed history? Simple enough…" I looked up at him, grinning at how very confused he seemed. The dark black/blue hair, dark eyes, and the sort of face that seemed maybe too good. "I'm Elizabeth Finch, as you don't know. Liz or Elly for short. Not Beth though. Don't like it. And you're Kurt, right?"

He seemed almost embarrassed, which was fine. Everyone was either embarrassed or freaked out when they met me. I was used to it, but he still didn't seem okay with it. I know why. It's because I knew him and he didn't know me at all.

"Ah, I never said I didn't—"

"Don't sweat it. I bet you half the class doesn't even know my name. It's nothing. Now, pull up a seat and sit down. We got work to do, my German friend." I muttered, reading through the rubric for the second time.

He moved the desks around, like everyone else, and I could still feel his discomfort. Normally, even if you do get assigned a partner, you know who they are. No one ever knew Liz, but I always knew them. I was just the kind of person.

"How do you know I'm German?" Was the first question he asked. It made me laugh slightly.

"The accent, or are you from another European country? Please, correct me if I'm wrong." I smirked his way, trying not to be too cocky. It wasn't working.

"No, you are right." He turned his gaze away from mine, his eyes darting down to his own paper. "So, what event did you want to do?"

"I don't know. Oh, I almost forgot," I turned to him, my grey eyes looking into his dark ones. "Are you a procrastinator?"

He looked confused again, and embarrassed. "Sorry, my English isn't that good. What is pro..crastanta?"

I laughed again. He was really cute with the confusion and the accent. My laugh made him pout in something that was supposed to be anger, but didn't make it all the way. Kurt was definitely going to be one of my favorite partners. Plus, maybe I could get close to the rest of his friends too.

Maybe I should explain a little more, who I am that is.

Elizabeth Finch, sixteen years old, 5'4'', curly brown hair, grey eyes, and wise in almost every class except Spanish and math. I'm also the least noticed person in the whole school. Only about fifteen people know my name, three of which I actually talk too, and the rest of the world is clueless. I've always thought it kind of funny how almost no one knows me, but I know them.

Like Kurt here, who was listening as I explained what a procrastinator was, which I could already tell he was, but that was okay. I could be the good student for once and get it all done on time. Kurt Wagner was in four of my classes. And he still didn't know who I was. His friend, Evan, who he was talking to earlier, is in two of them. Both of which are part of the little groups of new students that show up here every once in a while. Which it seems I only notice. Again. It's like I'm invisible or something. The invisible girl. Great. High school is just so much fun like that.

"So, vhen do you vant to get together and get this bad boy done?"

We finally decided on a topic, the dropping of the first atomic bombs on Japan in World War II. I chose it, because I knew no one else would, because this class just isn't the smartest group. They wouldn't even turn in a topic until a week before the project was due. That's why I asked if he was a procrastinator, so I could be on time, because god knows if we both were…which I actually was. Sadly.

"Well, whenever is fine by me. After school in the library, my place, your place."

I noticed him tense up at the mentioning of me going over to his house, which was weird, but then again not. Maybe he had some crazy house with a crazy mom or dad or something. A wild pig in the backyard, maybe?

"Uh, maybe we should just stick with your house. Mine is…" He didn't finish, just rubbed the back of his neck and averted his gaze. I wouldn't push it. I knew his name, classes, and who he hangs out with. It's just the usual school stuff. There really was no reason to push into his home life.

"No problem. My place it is. It's just me there until about six when my mom and brother come home. Tomorrow after school than?" I was collecting all my things, seeing as the minute hand was getting closer to the point in which the bell would ring for lunch. I liked being the first one out, because there was that one second where there was no one in the halls but you.

"Yes, of course. See you then." I saluted him a good-bye, opening the door just when the chiming came in and was gone before it came the second time.

* * *

"Man, my new Historly partner is so…"

"Weird?"

"Yes! She's just, man!"

The group was sitting around their usual table. Scott, Jean, Evan, Kurt, Kitty, and Rogue. Talking and eating like friends normally do. Looking normal. Kurt was giving his situation more depth, trying to make it sound worse than it was with his little group. Jean and Scott looked at each other, giving off that look of knowing, like they were going to cut into Evan's and Kurt's little conversation, because they knew it wasn't all that kind of them.

"Guys, it's not exactly the best thing to be calling this girl weird. Do you even know her, Kurt?" Jean pushed in, being the goodie-goodie conscious to everyone like she always did, with Scott there to back her up at anytime.

"No! And that's the ploblem! She even admitted that no one knew her. I hate to agree, but she's right. Evan and I have been in that class for months, and neither of us knew vho she vas!" He groaned out in frustration and covered his head with his hands, trying to hide from everyone. Evan was right there with him, feeling somewhere between embarrassment and being a total ass.

"Well, like, what's her name? One of us has to know her, right? Both Scott and Jean have been here long enough. She's not, like, new or anything, is she?" Kitty piped in, taking a bit of her sandwich.

"No, not new. Her name is Elizabeth Finch. Liz."

There was a silence over the table, everyone thinking hard about who exactly I was. And one after the other, they all gave a sort shrug and gave up. Which only made Kurt feel worse, because this chick was unnoticeable. Me.

"Cheer up, Fuzz-ball. You'd think you'd be all happy to have a girl as a partner." Rogue said, rolling her eyes.

"It's not like she isn't cute. It's just--"

"I can't believe I'm telling you this, but lighten up. It'll be fine. And if no one knows her, maybe you two could be friends." Typical Scott.

"Ya, ya. It's still so akvard."

"Don't worry, Kurt. It'll be fine. And we can help too." Jean decided for the whole group, who all nodded, whether they were with her or not. That's just what a group of friends like that did for each other. How very nice of them.

And that's how all this stuff began.

* * *

**A/N: There ya go, first part done. Second part should be up rather soon, seeing as this is just for fun and I'm really not trying to make it perfect, which you can probably tell, looking at my writing…teehee. So read and review and give me something to work with! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Don't own the characters in this story or the tv show. The only thing I'm adding is the character Elizabeth. **

**A/N: Second chapter, fast right? Told ya. And to everyone out there reading this and wondering "Where are all their accents?" Um….I truthfully hate reading and writing them, so this story will only have a few different changes. For Logan, I won't go into everything different slang he says, for Rogue I'm not getting into the deep south, for Kurt I'm not turning German. In my mind, I can remember what they sound like and feel I don't need to put them into every signal sentence. You all know how they talk, right? And seeing as every character has a different accent (Kurt, Rogue, Logan, Remy, Evan, ****Ororo, ect.) I don't want to add them all. It slaughters the story and hurts a lot of people's eyes and brains to read them. Even in published writing! I just don't do it. So, you can go and change every little detail of a sentence to make it sound like them, but I'm not. Sorry.**

**Anyway, getting away from my little rant and on to the next chapter…**

* * *

**Outside Looking in:**

**Chapter Two**

**Noticeable **

* * *

The walk to school seemed more…adventurous? Hm, odd. It's just a short walk. The day looked grey, which was good and bad. Good, because if it rained soon enough, we could get out of running in gym and just play basketball inside. Bad, because I still needed to walk home!

I pushed out my cheeks, blowing a strand of hair out of my face and pouted slightly. My headphones were on to about full volume, so everything in the world was mute and playing to the sound of "Where is the fun?" from the Fairly Odd Parents summer movie musical. Ya, I'm weird like that.

I'd woken up on time, which was the first odd thing, seeing as I was up all night talking with my older brother on the computer until two in the morning. It sucked that we were in totally different time zones now. Stupid California. My mom had made French toast for breakfast and packed up my lunch nice and neat with the usual motherly smile, which made me hope that there was a note in their waiting for me today. And don't laugh. I'm not that old as to where my mom making my lunch and putting notes in it is weird.

The side walk was busy with the early morning bunch, a few kids I recognized from school and other business men and women on their ways to work. There goes Keith from the track team, Mrs. Parker to her normal Thursday meetings, Jenny Oldman from Computer class…

All of which didn't even know I was there. It was kind of annoying, seeing as I made an effort to step on each and every one of the dead brown leaves on the sidewalk, crunching it all up with my foot to just see if anyone would look back at me! Was I really THAT alone in this world?!

I grumbled about it all the way up to the school's entrance, wanting to slam the front doors closed when I came in, because Principal Darkholme was right there! And she didn't even notice! To busy lecturing that Tolansky kid again!

_What the fuck is wrong with people!?_ I thought, or rather screamed in my head, going off to my locker and turning up my music to the max as one of the heavier songs came flooding into it. If they don't want to notice me, then I won't notice them.

This made me think back to my mom and what she said on the first day of my freshman year. She said just how fun high school was and how I just needed to meet people and make friends and these were going to be the best four years of my life, just like her's!

A shiver ran up my spine at that thought. I could just see the stars in her eyes.

I grabbed all up my books for the next three classes and went on my way, because the bell would ring in five, four, three, two, one—

Bingo.

Another day of being invisible starts.

English was a breeze, just as easy as History. I was on good terms with the teacher, even if she didn't know how to spell. There really should be some sort of test an English teacher has to take every year just to show everyone that their students didn't totally kill their brains and—

"—IZ!"

I spun around in my chair, ready to bash someone's head in because whoever it was poked me in the spin. And they poked me. Who was trying to talk to me anyway? It just…doesn't happen!

"Oh, Kurt." I paused in my karate chop-o-doom and looked around, seeing the rest of the classes eyes on me, along with the teacher, who didn't seem to happy about being interrupted in her ranting about how Hamlet was the greatest things since sliced bread. I wanted to be noticed, not stared at until it seemed like you were the deer in the headlights, ready to be struck down. I smiled slightly and waved to everyone. "Uh, sorry about that. He…surprised me…"

They went back to doing class stuff.

I glared back at my new partner, popping my head phones out as the rest of the world began to come back with sound. He seemed surprised by the glare, so I let it go.

"You shouldn't have poked me! I warned you about that!" I whispered, turning around to make it seem like we weren't having a conversation in the middle of a lecture. "Plus, why are you talking to me? You've NEVER talked to me since you got here, and you didn't even know I existed—even when I sat RIGHT in front of you!" I turned back around, grey eyes hard. "Do you even know which of your classes I'm in, or are you just guessing?"

He looked totally freaked. I was too, because normally I'm not that big of a bitch. This morning was rough, and I needed more sleep.

"Um…two, zat I know of." His body seemed like it was trying to get out of the way. Slipping down, down, down, into his chair. I looked him over and thought that maybe if he tried a little harder, he could disappear.

"Four. History, English, Shop, and Computers. I'm in two f Evan's, Gym and History. And with your friend Rogue, I have one. Art. You didn't know that, did you?"

"No."

I pouted and once more turned to the front of the class. "Sorry for doing that. What did you want anyway?"

"I vas just going to ask vhere you vant to meet after school. For the project, right?" His voice sounded really nervous, or maybe worried. Embarrassed? Man, we both seemed to have issues today.

"Right, sorry. Um, just outside the school grounds. My house isn't too far. We can walk."

"Right."

And we both got silent after that, not talking for the rest of class. Well, he talked to more kids around him. I didn't talk, because no one bothered to talk to me. Even if I somehow managed to make a conversation start with someone, it would only last two minutes before it dives into that awkward silence I know so well. Why couldn't anyone just randomly pop up in class and shout "Wow, did anyone watch the newest episode of Avatar last night?! It was just too funny!" I could conversate with that…

* * *

Thankfully, it started raining. Good thing too, because Gym would have been a bitch. Horrible. I hate getting all sweaty in the middle of the day. So, the rain gods answered part one of my prayers and let it start pouring down with thunder and lightning right when I walked out of Science. Score one for Liz. Another score when I found out the coach wasn't up to par, so the other coach let us have a little free period, as long as it had something to do with physical activities. And the crowd went wild! It would be an easy day here.

It took me a few tries to get it right, I can tell you. It's hard enough reading a book while everyone around you is chatting away, clogging your brain with their conversations so you reread a sentence over four times. Add in a jump rope, and you got yourself a serious challenge.

It's the timing, I've found.

Half of the two classes were playing basketball, the other half were either walking around the gym, talking away or just grabbed one of the little sporting objects like me and were trying to act like they were doing something.

I got two people who I was rather friendly with, but didn't like gym, and gave them the rope ends. All they had to do was turn it and it was called exercise. The coaches were happy, they were happy, I got to jump, read, and be happy. Everyone wins.

I flipped the page, skipped the rope, and read on. Easy as pie. Now all I had to do was somehow get the Olympics to have a reading and jumping rope part and I'll take home the gold. Go Elizabeth Finch!

I was so wrapped up in my little gold winning fantasy, I didn't hear the voice shout "Look out!" before a basketball came right up and hit me in the back, knocking my book down and me along with it. The rope tangled at my feet, hissing as the hard floors burned my skin.

"Man, Pietro! You're such a klutz! Look what you did!"

"Please! You were the one who couldn't hold the ball!"

"You fouled me!"

I got up, rubbing my head, looking around for my book, ignoring the burning in my knees. They needed to make the gym uniforms longer so this wouldn't happen! And where was my book?! I lost my page! Gone!

"Hey, uh, Liz, right?"

I shot up quickly at the sound of my name, because I didn't hear it a lot in school, unless it was from one of the teachers. This wasn't a teacher's voice. I looked over my shoulder to see Evan, a friend in Kurt's little group of love and caring, holding out a hand for me. I took it, sort of dazed. Why was he helping me, or saying my name? And my nickname for that? What was getting into people today? He'd never said anything to me except maybe "Pass!" or "I'm open!". My book was in his other hand, which I snatched up quickly when I finally got to my feet again.

"I lost my page!" I cried out, quickly flipping through it, trying to find the sentence I left off on.

"Look, uh, sorry. Mr. Ass over their shoved me a little too hard and..." I could hear the strain in his voice, feeling the heavy air around us. Was talking to me really killing him this much?

I snapped the book shut, picking up his ball and looked for Pietro in the crowd of kids. I didn't care whose fault it was at all, but that kid really needed to get that grin off his face. It just looked way to satisfying on his pale little face. I could even see his friend Lance getting a good chuckle out of it too.

"AAHHH!" I let out this pathetic sounding cry and kicked the ball, even if it wasn't supposed to be kicked. I hoped I popped it too! There was no reason to stay around any longer, because in ten minutes, it would be time to head out. I went back into the locker rooms to change and collect my things.

Before I left, my ears picked up the sound of a grunt and thud. Whether it was Evan, Lance, or Pietro, it was good enough for me. All of them deserved it. They really needed to stop acting like five year olds and get over the stupid grudge they all held against each other! It was like a freaking leather against jeans things.

The smile on my face was just as unnoticeable as I was.

* * *

Lunch. Halfway done. Halfway done. Halfway done. Only three more classes until the last bell where I could go home with Kurt and get the project somewhat started and maybe not be such a bitch this time. That's all I needed. I could be nice and maybe start off better and—

All these different thoughts were running through my head as I grabbed my lunch, book, and head phones as I headed out to the cafeteria for lunch, seeing as it was still raining outside. The song now was by The Matches, but that's all I could get as my head bowed down to reread the last three pages, still trying to find my place. I get lost easily. It happens with wandering minds, my dad used to say.

In between switching songs and turning pages, I heard something that could have been something that sounded like Elizabeth. It made me look up, eyes looking back and forth in the crowds of teenagers getting their daily dose of nutrition and evil cafeteria food worms. Every time I heard my voice, or thought I heard it, I'd look up. Paranoid maybe? Maybe. It just made me feel even more freakish then I already was. Especially when I actually turn around and say "Yes?" to nothing.

I looked around for the third time, seeing no one that seemed to be trying to get my attention. Great. Just another reason for everyone to call me crazy.

I sighed and started to walk off again to my usual lunch eating spot when it came again. Elizabeth. Liz. Ove—

"—r here!"

I spun on my heels. Either someone was calling my name, or the aliens really hated me. I tried to stand on my tippy toes. It sucked to be so short sometimes. Just over the tops of one of the jock's heads I could see a hand waving in my general direction. A hand that, for some reason, was giving off the 'Star Trek' symbol too me. I cocked an eye brow and headed towards it.

What awaited for me that connected to the Treky hand was something that I didn't quit plan on.

"Oh, god…" I muttered, smacking my face with my book. It was Kurt's little group, or was it Scott's? Maybe Jean's. Who was the leader in this little thing?

I lowered all my stuff and gave a puff from my cheeks, blowing away more strands of hair from my face. "Uh, you rang?" I cocked my hip out, trying to make everything seem a little less awkward.

"Oh, ya! I just, ah, vanted to know if you, uh…"

Jean jumped in then, saving the German's skinny ass. She seemed like the type to just save everyone. Probably become a good psychiatrist one day, or something along those lines. "Kurt was talking about you yesterday," Another good reason to smack myself in the face. That's probably why 

Evan knew my name, and maybe why Rogue looked my way in art. "And we were just wondering if you'd like to join us for lunch." She put on this welcoming smile to seal the deal. It felt really fake, like he'd practiced this before.

"Ya! Thas it!"

I looked them all over, trying to see if they were actually serious. It would have been easier if any of them were meeting my eyes, or maybe if Scott just took off those sunglasses. I've always wondered why he wears them all the time, even in class.

_Be nice, Liz! Nice! Remember, you need friends! _Another quick look and—

"Fine, I think. Scoot it, Pretty Kitty."

The girl gave me this sort of blank stare before moving over for me. I could feel the eyes already on me and felt like that deer all over again. So I stared back, suspicion all over my face. "Uh, what? I like the end. Faster getaways."

They still stared.

"What!?"

"Girl, how did you know her name?" It was the gothy girl who spoke up in the thick southern accent, Rogue. Good. She seemed like the one with most of her sense, and liked to speak her mind. Or maybe that was just the goth speaking. I've found that to happen to people.

I groaned, rolling my eyes and threw my hands in the air. "For the love of—" Roll call time, I figured as I shot them all looks. "Scott Summers, Jean Grey, Evan Daniels, Kitty Pryde, Kurt Wagner, and Anna Marie, but you prefer Rogue, right?" I turned down to my lunch and ripped it open, taking a bite out of the PB and J that my mom was a master at making. "Would you like class schedules and arch rivals too? Just stop…staring at me!"

I almost wanted to throw that peach at Scott's head to make him turn away.

"I told you all!" Was the first thing after I gave off the roll. It was from Kurt, who was smiling for some reason.

"What?"

"How do you know all of this?" Mr. Shades over there, shaking his head all confused like he just woke up from a coma.

I rolled my eyes again and put down my sandwich. "Look. I just know stuff, alright? I actually pay attention to the rest of the freaking world and don't get caught up in the little bubble I draw around myself that let's everything not in it disappear from reality."

I knew this was going to be a bad idea. Stupid little voice in my head, thinking friends are so good…they all thought I was nuts now!

"So…um, Liz—" Jean to the rescue again. She should wear a cape for something.

"Or Elly."

"You and Kurt are doing a project together? An event that changed the world, right?"

I smiled, but not at her. Tapped to my water bottle was the exact thing I've wanted to see all morning. A little paper written in pen with "Love Mom" at the bottom. I pulled it off and read it silently, giggling before tucking it away in my pocket, getting back to the little conversation.

"Yeppers, we'll be doing it on the nuclear war far of WWII."

It got quiet again, so I looked up. I could feel the tension in the air, you could slice through it with a knife, spread it on Wonder Bread and eat it for breakfast.

"Uh, is that a bad thing?"

Kitty cocked her head to the side, giving me this freaked out looked. Ya, she was the first to think I was nuts. "Um, like, isn't that bad? Wouldn't you want to do something that was like, good for the world?"

I narrowed my eyes and turned to her. "No, actually, because we could pick anything. And I want to do it on that subject, because it all ties in with the next fifty some odd years to come. Just because it's bad, doesn't mean it's not important. The atomic bomb was how we got the world to stop fighting, shut up, and slap some sense into them. It was also one of the reasons for the cold war." I lowered my voice, which was getting up to an almost shout as I went on, and picked up my book, opening up to the page I think I left off on and continued my answer. "I'd rather do it on something that was bad and made a huge chunk in history then pick out something that just didn't make it as far."

"Sheesh, alright, sorry." And she gave up. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Rogue got impressed, and Kurt was still smiling. Probably because he wasn't going to fail this class with me as his partner.

Everyone went back to their lunches for a while after that, only making small talk with each other, which didn't include me. They all seemed to be beating around the bush with something, or for some reason. Their topics were always about school and never about…normal teen conversations. What kind of teenagers talked about school at lunch when they were in school? This was just so—

"Liz, you're reading 'A Separate Peace'?"

I looked over to Jean with a "Hu?"

"Your book,"

I looked down at the book, reading off the cover again before my mind finally snapped back into it. "Oh! Ya! Sorry. Ya, I'm reading it, fifth time. I love it."

"And, you understand it?"

"What's not to understand? The way Knowles writes is breath taking. Makes me want to cry every time I get to the end. The meaning in it is just so…" I flipped through the pages, picking up the traces of old book smell and wanted to melt. I grinned up at them, tapping my hand to my chest. "Makes my heart go all frantic." I chuckled, putting the book down and then something clicked on in my head, making the grin wider. "Evan, who did I hit in the gym? When I kicked the basketball?"

His face lit up too. "Oh, MAN! That was good! I wish you would have stayed to see it! You got Pietro right where it hurts!"

At this, everyone stopped eyes wide. Kurt even started choking on his milk. Rogue slapped him on the back to stop his frantic coughing.

"She hit—"

"Like, no way!"

"Seriously, dude! Right there, so hard! He wasn't moving too fast then, on the floor making sure they were both there!"

Evan, Kurt, and I all started to crack up. Scott has this pained look on his face, as if it was him that got a basketball to the balls. I laughed harder, and Kitty joined in. It felt good. As if I was actually a member of their friendship circle. Really good.

Until the bell rang.

And my happy place exploded into a bunch of flames and ashes. More class. Great. All alone. With no one to make me laugh. Well, at least I still had Kurt after school. Hopefully I could keep my sanity until then. Or maybe someone else needed a good kick in the balls to make me feel better.

I still caught the little conversation between Jean and Scott before I left.

"You think they'll do anything to her for that?"

"Who, Quicksilver and the rest of their little gang?"

"Ya, I mean, do you think he'd just take that lying down?"

"I don't know. Maybe it would be safe to keep an eye out."

"Right."

What was that all about?

But I didn't turn back to ask.

The late bell rang.

* * *

**A/N: And that is an end scene! Alright, I don't think the next chapter will be out until about Sunday or Monday. See, I'm fast with this thing! I got another week and a half before school starts, so I'll be pumping out the chapters like crazy! YAY! So, you know the drill. Reviewing is love! **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Chapter 3**

**A/N: Chapter 3! Yes! And so many people seem to like Liz, I'm so happy! Hurray! And I'd like to say sorry for not having this up a week or two ago, but school hit harder than I thought, and the bruises are still there to prove it. So, here is chapter three. I'm not actually sure how many chapters this thing will have. Probably not more than ten, if I even get that far. Hmmm….well, hopefully. It all just depends on how long I want to drag this out for, like this author's note!**

**ON WITH IT ALREADY!!**

**ps. Thanks to one of my bestest buddies, Kelly, for being my beta! I love you!**

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**Outside Looking in:**

**Chapter Three**

**War and Baking**

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It was still raining when I got outside, though not as hard, lucky for me. It was still enough to get me wet, soaked to the bone with the time, and the slight wind become annoying as chills ran up my arm, something that shouldn't have been there, except I was wet. Stupid me --more like purely oblivious-- walked out of my house without any form of protection from the light down pour, even though I clearly saw the storm coming as my mom got ready for work while I was eating my Eggos in front of the TV.

It was twenty minutes now since the last bell rang, sending the kids down the halls, making sure to push and shove me as hard as possible to either get to the bus or to hop in the back of their friends car to head to the mall. Ya, they get a new pair of shoes and a CD, I get bruises all over my shoulders. Thanks. Well, I wouldn't be so very bitter, seeing as I got a good hour of sleep in last period, but someone still hated me.

He. Was. Late.

Twenty minutes. I was now wet, cold, and ready to call it quits. Maybe he forgot, or maybe I was just stupid enough to believe that lie. No. It wasn't a lie. Everyone forgot stuff like that when it came to me. No big deal.

I gave out a heavy sigh and turned on my heels (a squish from my soaked shoes) and was getting ready to head home, when the rain…stopped. Not everywhere. Just…around me and—

"Vhy are you standing out in the rain?"

I knew who it was before I even turned back around. The accent was the dead giveaway.

Kurt had on this pleased sort of smile, kind but joking at the same time. He held an umbrella over us both, looking as dry as I wish I was and all too…Kurt like. I knew what he looked like from all the times I just watched him and his group from across the tables. I envied them, everyone, at times because I was always the one looking at them, and not the other way around. I wanted to know what he looked like, how to tell each face from the others.

Stalker, right? Ya, I thought so too, but it makes sense from my point of view.

It still felt good to see him standing there, covering us both from the rain, because he might be late, but he still showed up. He didn't ditch me or forget.

"You're late." I said, but it wasn't in the way I thought it would be. There was no anger in it. Just a statement-- telling the truth, a clear fact. Simple, but it still didn't sound right in my ears.

The German just gave another shy like smile and turned his gaze away. "Ah, sorry about that. Scott caught me in the hall. He's hard to get away from. Ja, but that still doesn't explain why you're vet."

We were walking now, down the sidewalk in the rain. It felt like Kurt was the one leading me, I swear he was the first to lift his foot, but he had no idea where I lived, so I must be the one going in the right direction, with him following. We were also having a conversation, normal, like people who knew each other normally did. It felt good, in an odd sort of way.

"Yah, well…" It was now my turn to be embarrassed. "You were late."

"You could have waited inside."

"You didn't have to be late."

He laughed now, a heavy chuckle that was almost too thick to be anything else but a German laugh. We all might laugh in the same language, but it can still hold our homeland. His did. It made him seem more real. And the laugh wasn't at me, to make fun of me, I could tell, I could. He just thought what I said was funny, but I wouldn't laugh. Me, being stubborn. One reason why I didn't go inside. Stubborn as a mule.

We both gave up the bickering (if you could call it that) and walked on. It was sort of a quiet, if you didn't count the rain, splashing of our shoes, and Kurt's soft humming voice. We weren't talking anymore, that was the point. It wasn't that we didn't want to, or at least, I didn't, but it seemed we had nothing much to talk about. It felt almost uncomfortable. Especially for me, because I could talk. I could. About his heritage, or his little power-of-friendship group, or how he must seriously hate history, like everyone else, or even how much food he eats (I've watched him during lunch, remember) and god he eats a lot of food. It makes me wonder how he can stay so slim and...was that muscle?

I now had the urge to poke him, just to see if it all looked as squishy as it seemed, or was it all slimmed down and hard. And yah, I know that sounded slightly...off.

To counteract that incredible (because he was right _there_) urge, I turned back to the thought before the muscle, which was food, and it made me realize how my stomach was empty, plus I didn't finish off those cookies at lunch...

I swung my backpack around, unzipping and zipping, the noise pulling my companies attention away from his humming, and to whatever it was I pulled out of my pack.

"Cookie?" I asked in a chipper voice, popping one of my mini delights into my mouth. They were only a day old, I made them yesterday after school when I had nothing better to do, and it was always nice to come home to home baking. Besides, I liked cookies. They were my specialty.

"Ja, please." Kurt nodded and grabbed one of the mini goodies and flipped it into his mouth as if it were a quarter thrown to the air, deciding the heads or tails of fate. I wanted to slightly, because I knew he'd had to practice that somewhere to get it just right on the first go.

His head snapped back, looking at me with wide eyes as the last of the cookie was gulped down. I swear his eyes dilated. "Vhat are in those?!" he franticly asked, snatching up another two from my offered bag.

"Uh, well they're my walnut chocolate chip minis, sooo...walnuts and chocolate chips in mini form?" I wasn't used to such reactions from my cooking, ever. The only people whoever really eat them are my family, and you know what they say with 'your family are the toughest critics' or 'their just too nice, not honest'. I could never tell if they were really...that good.

"They are...wunderbare, gute, erstaunliche, danke Ihnen danken Ihnen danke Ihnen--"

Yah, didn't think they were that good. I held up my hand in front of him, waving it for him to stop the German ranting. "Wow, wow, dude. I have no idea what you just said! English, Kurt, English!"

He gulped down the other cookies so fast I wouldn't have thought he even tasted them.

"Sorry, I was just saying how good they are...vere...and, thank you."

I chuckled softly. "No problem, my crazy German amigo." Yes, that sentence contained three different cultures. "If you want, I could make another batch while we work on our project."

"Really?!" Cue the sparkles and hearts.

"Yah, sure. Now come on, before the rain picks up anymore and gets us totally soaked!" Even though I already was.

* * *

I was happy to be in my house, out of the rain and into fresh clothes. Thank God mom did laundry last night...

Kurt was sitting at my kitchen's counter top, spinning on one of the bar stools when I reentered the room. He looked sort of up tight and childish. His feet were placed under him, hands holding on to the chair to spin around. I paused just outside the kitchen, under the door way, and sniffed the air. Odd. There was something there. Like...burning? It was weird and very faint, growing fainter as I tried to think about it, so I just brushed it off. No biggie.

"So where shall we begin?"

He turned his head back at me; I could hear a 'crack' from it and almost winced myself. The look he gave me was...creepy. Like saying "Give me cookies or give you death!" with his eyes. I smiled. This was something I could hold over his head. Oh yah.

"We work on the project while I make and bake the cookies. Okay?"

He nodded, happy, as he took out all the study stuff and I took out all the baking stuff.

"What kind would you like?"

"Kind?"

"Of cookies?"

"Oh!" he stopped and I stopped, watching him retreat back into his brain, thinking deep and long about what cookie he most desired...

"Anything."

"Anything?"

"Anything!"

"Alright..."

And we both got to work.

The next thirty minutes were filled with food and talking about the affects of the nuclear explosion to the people and environment of Japan. Kurt even got some pictures. Impressive, if not slightly morbid.

"So," He closed up a book with a nice little 'snap' a lot of people use to grab other's attention. It worked. I put down the spoon, licking the rest of the dough from my fingers before I turned back to him, because I knew he'd be jealous. "Vhy did you pick this topic?"

I put on a smile, licking my lips. "What? You don't like war and explosions?"

He didn't smile back.

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "Because, I felt like it." Still not good enough. I put my hands down on the counter top, meeting his eyes. "Next month everyone will have something like Martian Luther King's March on Washington, Gandhi, The Revolution, or the Civil War or maybe but the whole World War II. It doesn't matter. Because, one way or another, their all wrong. He asked for a moment. One split second that changed history forever, better or worse. When the US dropped the bombs, when they exploded, everyone in the world, everyone, just stopped and stared." I didn't paused at all, didn't blink, just so he could understand it all. "At that moment everyone looked at each other and said 'Dear god, we actually have the means to kill everyone, and everything.'"

I turned away from him to finish up the cookies. "All of the sudden, everyone freaked out, because, guess what? We could kill everyone. We could wipe out the enter world. All of a sudden, America realized they weren't the only superpower. Russia had the US in a staring contest. If one of them blinked, the other would destroy them. It made the mid 1900s a place of fear and unknown. And now, hell! We wonder who else has the guts do to what we did, because they could end it all."

A glance behind me, just to be sure he was still listening. "I assure you, history wasn't written to be happy. We're all going to be fucked over one day. Might as well inform everyone about one of the possibilities, right?"

He didn't say a word.

Exactly.

* * *

We worked in silence for a while after that. I have that affect on people. It's a bad habit I'm trying to break. And I'm sure it would have stayed that way until he left if it wasn't for the beeping of my oven going off, telling us the cookies were done. Kurt almost fell out of his chair in the rush to get one. He had one in his mouth before I even placed them down on the cooling rack. There was this look of total pleasure on his face before the heat finally burned his mouth, sending his nerves into overdrive. The German boy bounced around, waving at his mouth and watering eyes, but refused to spit the baked good out.

"Idiot! Those are still scorching hot! What are you trying to do!? Destroy you're mouth!? Get over here! Spit it out!"

"MO!"

"SPIT IT OUT!"

"MO!"

I growled, refusing to argue, because it seemed he was just as stubborn as I was when it came to his food. I grabbed a glass and poured in some milk (because who wants water with cookies?) and demanded he opened his mouth.

He did, but I could still see his tongue curled around the cookie, not letting it go, and where those...fangs? The white liquid blocked my view of figuring out as it went down his throat.

We both stood, panting, once he had finished his first cookie. I was glaring. Kurt looked like he was still in the Garden of Eden.

"Happy?"

"Oh, very!" his eyes glimmered, looking up at me with his normal childish ways. "Vhat type are they?! It vas so good!"

It was my turn to look at him as if he had two heads. "Are you kidding?" he shook his head. "You've NEVER had a snicker doodle? Never?"

Another shake. No.

This time I smacked my hand to my face, muttering, "You really are from another country..." he didn't hear me, of course, too busy cramming as many cookies as possible into his mouth. Though, I'm not sure why that would affect his ears...just then I think I saw a piece of cookie crumble out of his ears.

Right.

My mom came home then. She came in with my brother, a slam of the door with a foot, and a muffled voice on a phone. Both Kurt and I jumped, turning towards the hall. He got a sort of panicked look on his face, while I just smirked, taking a bit of the still-too-warm cookies. This felt too much like one of those "first time meeting the parents of a girlfriend" sort of thing. It shouldn't have, it really shouldn't have. I had to hold back the urge to pull him from the chair telling him that he would love her and she would love him and it would be fine, because my family was nice like that. Really stop myself.

"Yes, I KNOW the computers were down, but I still need your time sheet! And you don't need a computer for that! Yes, Carla, I know but-- hold on." My mom's voice came closer and louder as she got to the kitchen, not noticing us at first when she came in, hands full of grocery bags and her purse. "Hi, Sweetie." she said, not looking, and placed all the bags down on the kitchen table.

My little brother, Josh, was being his normal preteen, useless boy self. He ran up the stairs to his room to lock the door and listen to music that had curse words and boobs in it.

My mom, once she said her greeting, switched the phone to the other ear and began to unload all the food she had gotten. She paused, blinking, and turned to us again. I smiled and waved. I think Kurt was trying to crawl into a hole and die. "Carla, I have to go." she quickly closed the phone, straightening her slightly messy bun, and smiled at Kurt, big and cheerful. "Oh, dears, I'm so sorry! How rude of me!" I could tell she was surprised to see another person besides me in her kitchen, let alone a boy, even though I told her about fifty times the night before.

My mom walked up to Kurt, her heels clicking on the tile floor, and gave him another smile. No one could ever say no to one of her smiles. It made her a good business woman. "I'm Elizabeth's mother, Sarah."

Kurt swallowed down the lump in his throat that could or couldn't have been cookies. "Um, it's, uh, nice to meet you, Mrs. Finch. I'm Kurt, Kurt Vagner. A, uh, friend of Liz's from school..." I chuckled at his uneasiness.

"Ah, the pleasure is all mine. I'm glad my Elizabeth is finally meeting new people, and bringing them home too!" she turned and winked at me. "And a cute boy no less."

I pouted, crossing my arms and gave her a whining look with my eyes. She could be so bad sometimes!

It was her turn to laugh. "Alright, alright. I'll leave you two alone." she walked out the kitchen's entrance, into the hall, but quickly popped her head back in with a smile that could have been placed on her fifteen year old self. "Just remember I'm going to be in the other room, finishing up a few phone calls! Right in the other room!"

"MOM!"

"Okay! Okay!" she snuck out again, popped in once more. "Don't forget dinner! Oh!" she turned to Kurt again. "Would you like to stay for dinner, dear?"

Kurt was in the process of stealing another cookie (that thief!) when my mother and I bore our eyes onto him. And did he yelp?

"Ah, dinner? No thank you, Mrs. Finch...I'm expected home soon..."

"Oh, really? But Elizabeth is cooking, right?"

I just shrugged, which was yes, because there was no way mom could pull herself away from work to actually make a meal. I took up that role in the kitchen a while back. She took care of the bills. When Mark, my older brother, went off to University, we lost the caretaker, but we could still get by. It was a compromise.

"No, really. I think I should be going now anyvay. It is getting late." he glanced down at his watch, just to be sure, or to put on a show or something. I've never seen him without the watch. Ever.

"Oh, well, that's too bad." My mom was checking her own watch now. I glanced at the kitchen clock that read it was almost seven. It was late. "Alright, well, do you need a ride? Or are your parents coming or--"

Kurt cut her off. "No, no, it is fine. I vill valk. My home is...it is not far from here."

My turn to butt in. "Seriously? It's still raining-- pouring out there! Really, it's not that much trouble--"

He was already packing everything up, heading to the front door to make his exit. My mother disappeared as the phone rang, for her of course. When I turned back to where Kurt was, he was gone. I quickly followed, wondering how he had gotten so far ahead.

"Wait! Damnit it! Get over here!" I yanked on his backpack as he opened the door, sending the door flying open and him stumbling back. "Thank you. Man, you need to stop disappearing like that! Here, you forgot these." I tossed him a little plastic bag filled with Snicker Doodles. Ya know, for his walk home. The bag was slightly fogged up inside, because they still weren't cooled off all the way. "For the road."

He smiled at my, and his eyes looked too much like those of a five year old meeting Santa for the first time. "Thanks, Liz. See you at school tomorrow?" And it felt like something you did with your normal friends. And a total suicide cliché.

"What? Are you going away somewhere? You sound like one of us will die within the next twelve hours or something?" A look of dread fell across my face. "Oh, god! Don't tell me you have terminal cancer!?"

He gave out a sharp, short laugh, turned on his feels, shaking his head, and walked out into the rain. "Good-bye Liz." he was already almost soaked.

"Bye Kurt!" I waved, even if he couldn't see me.

With the door finally closed, I gave out a sigh, hearing the sounds of my mother in the living room, arguing with someone, and Josh up in his room listening to some sort of punk-emo music now, or something along those lines. The smell of fresh cookies was still in the air. And it all still felt empty.

I looked down and cursed, seeing Kurt had left his umbrella here, and he would surely need it in this weather. It hadn't been five seconds, really, before I grabbed the damp thing and opened the door again.

"Kurt, you almost forgot your--"

And he wasn't there.

Gone.

If it wasn't raining, I would have seen the smoke and smelt the ash and brimstone.

Gone.

* * *

**A/N: And I'm done. This took way longer to write then it should have... R/R people. It gives me love and faster fingers.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Don't own the characters in this story or the tv show. The only thing I'm adding is the character Elizabeth. **

**A/N: This. Took. Forever. BUT! This is like….the chapter. Well, one of them. Sorry it took forever. It's been sitting on my computer half finished for…like, two months. Also, my beta is visiting a different country and doesn't have a computer at all, so I had to beta it myself. Sorry if there are some stupid mistakes!**

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**Outside Looking In:**

**Chapter Four**

**Surprises**

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I sat on the school steps, trying to keep my head propped up. After Kurt left, the family and I had dinner, and right after, the phone rang. It was Ben, my older brother. I talked with him until my voice started to crack and my clock read 2:34pm. He told me to hang up when I couldn't make a full sentence without yawning. I only got about three hours of sleep, so right now, I wasn't really all that ready for the day.

It was still rainy out, but the kind of rainy that only sprinkled here and there, leaving an everlasting fog in the air. I'd gotten to school earlier that day, too earlier for the doors to be open yet. I was trying to wake up by listening to some loud techno music from my CD player, but it was clearly not working, because I had to jolt my head back up. Kurt's umbrella was in my hands, keeping me upright. I predicted I wouldn't be paying attention much in school today…

The school grounds were rather empty, aside from the teachers who were late getting there and the few straight A kids who studied for their tests. I looked around, counting them all off in my head, naming them, giving them little back stories as to why they were sitting there…it wasn't helping me to stay awake. I needed to at least make it into class…

So, I got up and began to walk around, just wandering here and there, using the umbrella as a cane to keep me standing like that of an old person. My eyes were half lidded, and I was just lucky I made it far enough without running into anything to figure out where my feet took me. It was the back end of the school, were the bleachers and football field were. Eying up the bleachers, I had half a mind to lie down on them, take a little nap, just for a few minutes, but I knew it wouldn't be 'just a few minutes' it would be until the last bell rang to wake me up. That or the PE class would come out and stir me awake…

"Well, well, well," The voice was too distant in my tired head to really place, but it did sound familiar…

"Hey, isn't that the chick who nailed ya in the—" That one too.

"Shut up, Todd!" And the name.

My body finally listened to my brain and turned in the direction of the voices…

Oh. Yah. That's where I knew the voices.

"You guys?" I couldn't help yawning in between, so it came out sort of disoriented, but I think they got the point.

"Yah, us guys!" Pietro snarled, appearing to be, in my opinion, too wake for his own good.

It was the usual four of them, Pietro, Lance, Todd, and Fred. I always thought of them as an odd sort of group, with odd sorts of names to go with it. They all stood together, as if blocking off my exit or something…

"We've got some unfinished business with you." Pietro said, arms folded in a way that told me he was the ring-leader right now. The other three just smiled, and Fred cracked his knuckles.

Oh.

Shit.

My eyes went wide when it finally clicked in my head. Did they REALLY want to beat me up? No! It couldn't be! No one ever wanted to beat me up. They never noticed long enough to realize they wanted to punch me in the first place. This was just…

I was awake now, my heart racing faster than it was a second ago. Yah, maybe I could take on Todd. I think anyone could take him on, but Fred and Lance and Pietro…and all of them together? No freaking away! I wasn't Supergirl, and I didn't possess a black belt in anything! Four against one just weren't good odds, even if we were all on the same physical level.

I smiled slightly, trying to act innocent. "Look, guys, uh, Pietro," I quickly took a step, a large step, back. "What happened the other day…come on! It wasn't anything against you, by all means!" My fingers were turned white; they clutched the umbrella so hard.

The group came closer, circling around me, blocking off all my directions of escape. It was too earlier still for anyone to see me back here, and it would be too late when they actually came around to find me…

I was so dead.

"Payback time, stupid bitch." The white haired teen grinned, pulling back his fist for a solid hit. I only curled up lower on the ground, opening up the umbrella to form some sort of shield around me, and closed my eyes, waiting for the first blow…

There were sounds, fighting sounds, and like….stranger sounds, but I refused to look or open my eyes until all forms of sounds stopped. Slowly, the umbrella came down and I opened one of my eyes to see a view I wasn't fully expecting at all.

"Wow."

All four of them were…immobilized. Fred was thrown through the bleachers, Todd was…I think being crushed by him (poor guy), Lance was on the ground groaning halfway across the football field, and Pietro was pulling himself up off the ground, appearing to be rather unstable on his feet. He looked pissed.

However, that wasn't the thing that surprised me. Oh, no. There, in front of me, stood none other than Scott Summers himself. He was panting, slightly, but had this look of…something that I would call pride and power on his face. It was something with those glasses…

I glanced around at everything again, blinking and blinking, wondering what the hell just happened and if I was actually still conscious. This wasn't a dream, right? I pinched myself, just to be sure. Yep, not a dream.

"Uh…Shades?"

He finally turned to me, but it wasn't because he hadn't noticed me. It was because he was making sure those four didn't get up, or if they did, they weren't going to come back at either of us. They didn't. And they almost looked like they were….was that smoke coming from Pietro's clothes?!

"You okay, Liz?" He seemed worried.

"Uh….now I am." I replied, not exactly knowing what to say, because there were a lot of questions to ask, but they wouldn't make it to my mouth.

"Great, come on. We should be getting back to the main campus; I think the doors should be opening soon…" He helped me up from the ground, putting an arm around my shoulder. It made me realize how tense I was, and not because I was almost attacked, it was because he was…touching me. My eye twitched. I'm normally never touched by other people, at least not like this.

I didn't say anything, and neither did he, until we got back to the school's main entrance.

He stopped at the top of the steps, letting go of me and stood back, all of a sudden getting sort of nervous. "Uh, look, Liz, I—"

"Shut up. Just…here." I handed him the umbrella, all of a sudden the sleeping coming back. "Give this to Kurt. He left it at my place last night. The…oddest thing too. I almost thought. Uh, never mind…just. Give it to him, 'kay? 'Kay." He moved swiftly, noticing the vice principal was at the doors, unlocking them with his keys. I stepped past Scott before he could say anything else. "See you inside, Shades."

Hm, it was a good nickname for him. It fit. Because…..those glasses….red…and—

Nevermind. On to bigger and brighter things. Like school. Yay.

* * *

I slept through all my class, and most of lunch once I actually ate everything. I didn't feel like talking to Kurt or any of the others, so I tried to stay clear. Not that I didn't like them or anything, it's just…I was too tired to be friendly. I didn't want to do something stupid. So, I steered clear, which was actually sort of hard, because it meant I had to fall asleep before Kurt got in any of our classes, and Rogue in Art, though it never seemed too hard with her. She didn't seem like the talking type.

Once the final bell rang, I felt better, for the most part. I got about five or six hours of sleep, which caught me up on the hours I lost on the phone. I was already to go home and make dinner when something I….really didn't expect happened.

"AH!"

Evan skid in front of me, his skateboard coming too close to my toes for comfort. He came out of nowhere, the wind coming with him and my pure surprise pushing me back. Luckily there was something solid to catch me. And…soft?

I looked up and saw Kurt staring down at me, smiling away. I looked back at Evan to see the group multiplied with Scott, Kitty, and Rogue joining in.

"You know, someone might think you guys do this often. You know the whole coming out of nowhere, scaring people shitless, and then seeming to trap them in? Yah, kind of creepy." I pushed back up from Kurt's arm, quickly forgetting the feel of his arms on mine, because it didn't feel like….skin.

"Where have you been, girl?" Evan.

"Ve've been trying to get your attention all day!" Kurt.

My comment didn't even seem to faze them.

"I've been sleeping!" Was my reply, throwing my arms in the air. "What would possibly have you people crowding me like a gang?!" That was my temper getting the better of me. _Great. Shut up before it gets worse Liz, or you won't have anything left to even call an acquaintance. _

"Are you, like, even listening to us?" Kitty's voice shook me from my thoughts. Apparently I missed something.

"Hu? Wha? Say again?"

"He said—"

Kurt cut her off, pushing forward so he was closer and I could see his smile all the clearer. "I said 'Vould you like to come over today?'"

My own voice caught in my throat. "…..hu?"

Kurt laughed, "I asked the…uh…headmaster, or guardian, or vhatever you vant to call him, if you can come over today and hangout, vork on our project, something. He said yes. So, do you vant to come over our place?"

I couldn't really believe it. Really? What? Did he, they, just invite me over to that big mansion they call a home?!

"Would I ever!"

And they all grinned. This time, so did I.

* * *

"You guys....live...here?" was the first thing out of my mouth when we entered the property's gates.

The ride over was a little cramped, as it was only Scott's little car, with Scott, Kurt, Kitty, Rogue, Evan, and I. Luckily, Jean had to stay after school for soccer practice. They talked about what the place was, some sort of institute for gifted kids from all over the world, with teachers and extracurricular activities or something like that. I ignored half of it, because it sounded too much like school. After they explained, I opened my big mouth and mentioned how half the student population had a poll going for what they all did behind the gates. It was a tie between porn studio and secret international spy training facility. Then they all looked at me funny, and I told them it was just what I heard, and didn't believe at all. The rest of the school kids would be disappointed to find out how boring it really was.

And then I actually got to go inside.

"This place has to be on...like, ten acres of land or something!" I said, leaning out of the car in a way that Rogue made sure to hold on to one of my belt loops so I wouldn't fall out.

"Ja, something like that..." Kurt said, just watching my excitement rise.

"Man, Liz, we haven't even gotten inside yet, and already you're going nuts." Evan said from the front seat.

I ignored him, nearly jumping out of the sports car before it came to a stop at the entrance. I had to remember to stay calm, cool, collected. Yes, that's it. No need freaking out whoever else lived in the house as soon as I walked in the door.

Scott opened the door, shouting out "We're home!"

And then Kurt came in next, pushing past to yell, "So I hope everyone is DECENT!"

I was too busy going "woo" and "ahh" at the large entrance way before me. It all was so fancy and big and nice! This Professor Xavier guy must be rich!

My attention was taken away from the pretty interior by a growl that came from the stairs. I cracked my neck up to see a big guy, hairy, gruff looking, with a wife beater on and a bottle of water in hand. He looked like the sort of guy who knew what the inside of a prison cell looked like. I eyed him up once then twice, listening close as he said something to Kurt.

"Yah, yah, I got the memo this morning--" I noticed how the end of that sentence seemed unfinished, like he wanted to say something extra but had to stop himself. Hm. Odd.

He then looked at me, eying me up just as I did him. "You must be the school girl, right?"

I nodded, pushing forward. "Well, seeing as I'm the only one you don't know, right? Unless you guys added another to the group when I wasn't looking!" My eyes went wide as I spun around; counting off everyone, then stopped and gave a sigh. "Oh, no, good. I was getting worried! You guys do like to multiply sometimes, I'll tell ya!"

I sort of chuckled to myself, looking around at everyone else who had a really...confused look on their face. The gruff guy even looked a little worried.

"Is she sick, Boy Scout?"

Scott shook his head, "Just ignore it. Now, uh, Logan, this is Liz, Kurt's friend from school. Liz, this is Logan, one of the teachers we told you about."

I held out my hand for Logan to shake. "Nice to meet yah, Logan, old buddy!"

The man just stared at it for a few seconds, then grunted and turned away. "Call me when Dinner's ready." And then disappeared down one of the many hallways.

My shoulders slumped slightly, and then I perked up, placing a hand on my hip. "Well, isn't he just a ray of sunshine!"

Kurt laughed, pushing me along. "He's...normally like that. Sorry. Now, do you vant a tour of the place?"

My eyes lit up. "Do I!?"

* * *

The house was bigger than I thought, way bigger. There were only like...ten people living here and fifty different bedrooms. Trust me, my jealousy showed, but it was nothing compared to when we got to the kitchen.

That's where I met Professor Xavier and Ororo, but first I had to go on and on and on about how big the kitchen was and how much food they had and how state of the art everything was. I even playfully punched Kurt a few times just because I knew this was the place he got to get his breakfast from in the morning.

"You have to let me cook tonight." I said, opening up all the cabinets and drawers.

A laugh came from behind us. "I don't think Ororo would like that very much."

"Oh, by all means, I'd love a night off of cooking."

The professor and Ororo were very nice. They seemed warm and welcoming, and seemed to put up with me very well. It was nice to feel welcomed like that. I didn't get the feeling all that much.

"Okay, okay, one last part of the tour and THEN you can come back to the kitchen." Kurt said, dragging me out and into the back yard.

When we got out there, I punched him again.

"A pool! You guys have a POOL?! Son of a bitch, man! Why don't I live here?" I yelled, just amazed at how much this place had and how big everything was. The backyard alone seemed like a forest. There were so many trees I couldn't see the wall that cut off the property from the real world.

Looking around at everything, and then looking down at the pool, at the water and how blue it seemed, I got a wicked idea. Scooting next to Kurt, I put on a nice little innocent look, glancing from him to the pool and back again.

"Oh, Kurt, my lovely German friend."

He looked over, and I saw his mouth move in a way that was ready to ask "vhat?" but he never got the chance as a look of horror came over his features as I made my move, grabbing his arm, pushing, and shoved him into the pool.

I laughed, hearing the splash and turned away so I wouldn't get so wet. When my sides stopped hurting, I turned back to the water. "Ha! I totally got..."

I froze.

He froze.

My face fell, and so did his, but....he....was.....

Blue. Blue and wet and, with yellow eyes and pointy ears and I think a tail swished around under the water, but that was supposed to be Kurt, and oh, god! That was Kurt wasn't it!? It was the same clothes, and the same hair, same facial structure, but he was all blue and not human and-- and--

"Liz! Please-"

My eyes went wide, because it had to be Kurt! That voice was the same, still had that accent.

"Kurt....Kurt? Oh, God! Ku--"

And my brain wouldn't work anymore. My head felt too heavy, and my body did the same. Everything felt like it was spinning, and somewhere behind me I think I heard that Logan fella curse, or maybe that was Scott? Rogue? But....Kurt was....and so did that make them....Shades?

My body shut down before my head hit the hard cement, but I still felt it as it knocked me into a deeper unconsciousness, and then I felt water, wet, and I couldn't breathe, and felt hands and, and--

Blue.

Shades.

Not there.

I passed out.

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**A/N: Yah, I totally left you guys with a cliffy. Hm, I think there will only be another four chapters. That is, if I plan this correctly…see ya next time! Which WILL be soon, as I want to finish this by the end of my summer holiday!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Don't own the characters in this story or the TV show. The only thing I'm adding is the character Elizabeth.**

**A/N: ...this is a long ass title. Uh...not much more to say. Don't ask me about the title. It makes no sense to me either. Oh, and this is probably my favorite chapter, next to War and Baking. I swear the X-gang weren't horrible people when I started this...**

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****Outside Looking In:**

**Chapter Five**

**When Importance is Gone and Memories are Lost**

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The problem with waking up in a strange place with a pounding head and the urge to cry out for your dad is that, for me at least, I didn't know why I was in this dark room or why my head hurt, and my dad has been gone for almost ten years. I still couldn't stop myself.

"Dad? Dad?! DAD?! DA--"

A door flew open to my left and light flooded into the room as lights turned on, forcing me to scrunch up my eyes as the pain soared in my head. I turned away from whoever came into the room, screaming into the pillow, pleading for something, anything, to make sense as my brain still cried out for my father.

Hands gripped my shoulders, pulling me from my little safe haven. They shook me hard, only making my head hurt worse. Somewhere far off a voice was calling my name, calling me Liz, and it finally knocked some sense into me; back to reality. My dad never called me Liz.

I opened my eyes again, panting and still dazzled by the lights. The face before me was blurred, but slowly it focused enough that I could tell who I was looking at. It was Kurt; his dark eyes worried. I looked at them and almost felt like crying, but didn't, jumping back instead. Quickly, my fear and freaked-out mode came back at I looked around, knowing this room was unfamiliar, and then staring at my clothes, which weren't my clothes, and my hair was damp. I went to touch it, but quickly regretted the action as a pain pulsed in the back of my skull. I also felt bandages.

I looked back at Kurt who hadn't moved or spoken yet. "W-what the hell is going on? Where am I? Why does my head hurt, and why am I wet, and w—"

Kurt gripped me again, forcing my body to stop shaking and for my eyes to focus on him. I looked right at him, reading his expression mixed with too many emotions to count. The first was dread, his eyes looked older, wiser, tired. Confusion came next, shown by the way his eyes shifted and moved around in mine. There was something else, something like fear that nagged at the corner of his mouth; I could see the way his cheek bent when he bit the inside of his mouth. All mixed with worry and happiness and sorrow and some little spark of energy that told me he wanted to move or say something, something very important by the way his eyes were pleading me to read them, so I would understand without him having to say it. That's when it hit me. It all came together to form one, single and powerful emotion:

Regret.

I stiffened and couldn't break the staring contest I was slowly losing with him. Finally, my breath came back, and I asked, once more, in a calmer voice. "Kurt, please. What is going on?"

And then he did something I wasn't fully expecting. The German teenager pulled me to his chest, holding tight and hugged me. I didn't know why, and couldn't think to figure out why. I didn't hug back. I couldn't.

"I'm sorry," He said, voice muffled in my shoulder. "At the pool…"

Pool?

"You ran and it was vet. You fell and hit your head on the edge of the pool before falling in. You were unconscious, and Scott saw it all. He jumped in after you. You're head was bleeding and you vouldn't vake up. Everyone vas so vorried about you…" His voice was solid, but deep down something nagged at the back of my head, and some voice inside me said those weren't the words he wanted to be using.

Kurt pulled back and looked at me, the same expression on his face. I was still confused. He must have seen it on written all over me, because he opened his mouth to say more, but was cut off as Professor Xavier rolled into the room.

"Kurt, please. She just woke up. Liz still needs to rest." He said, coming up to the edge of the bed. He had a kind smile on his lips, but a serious look in his eyes.

"Ja, professor, of course." Kurt got up from the bed to leave. I really didn't want him too. I wanted him to stay until I could read the words in his eyes.

"You can speak to her in a few minutes."

"Ja," And the room's door opened and closed, leaving me and the professor to ourselves.

An unpleasant, heavy, silence covered the room as I stared at the older man, and his eyes never fully met mine. Finally, he shifted his arms and began to speak.

"Liz, can you tell me everything that happened today?"

The question seemed odd for the situation, so I asked why that was important. The simple reply came as this:

"You hit your head rather hard. I just want to make sure there is nothing serious we need to worry about."

That made sense, but still… "My mom—"

"Has been called and informed of the situation at hand. She'll be over right after a meeting at her work to pick you up."

"But—"

"Liz, please."

It must have been something in his voice, because I finally dropped my defenses and did as he asked. "Alright. I woke up and had a waffle for breakfast. With syrup. I thought it would help me wake up, sugar and stuff, because I'd been…up late." I paused to touch my forehead as it pulsed with a pain right behind my eyes. "I…I got ready and left with…Kurt's umbrella. He…left it yesterday. At my house. He ran really fast down the street. The….rain was too hard for him to hear me…calling him." I didn't really know what I was saying. "I got to school and….went to sleep on the bleachers.

"Then, Scott—Scott….he…came and…..helped me. Got me up. Woke me up, and I wasn't late for school then. The rest of the day I was sleeping, and at the end of school Kurt and everyone….they came up and asked me over. Here. I…think." I looked around the room, just to be sure. "I met everyone, You, Ororo…Logan. Charming guy by the way." I shook my head again, trying to remember. "Kurt showed me around…and the pool….and….I….fell?" I had to think about it for a while, finally persuading myself that was right before continuing with a nod of my head. "Yah, I fell in and hit my head….then, well; I guess I woke up here?"

I looked up at the man. "That is right…right?"

He gave a sort of pleased nod. "Yes, that is good. Ororo will be in in a minute to do a physical check, which is alright?"

I nodded again, lowering my head to stare at the bed sheets that were wrapped around my legs and waist. "Yah, that's fine. Fine."

The professor left, and then the African woman came in about five minutes later just as he had said. She made small talk and asked a few questions as she checked my eyes and the bandages around my head. She said the bleeding had stopped and no stitched would be needed, so she cleaned the wound once again before putting a small bandage on it, declaring my health and head alright, for the most part.

She opened the door to leave, but was quickly replaced by everyone else. Kurt sat next to me, smiling wide and speaking way to fast. Kitty was at the foot of the bed with Rogue, laughing along to Kurt as the goth girl stayed quiet. Evan stood, adding to Kurt's muttered words every once in a while. Scott was near the edge of the bed, stiff and didn't say much. Jean was there next to Scott, telling me it had to be past six o'clock. The mood seemed happy, calm, relieved, but whenever my eyes stared at Kurt or Scott for too long, I got this feeling in the pit of my stomach. Something was slightly off, though I couldn't tell what.

My mom came a little after eight. I declined the offer to stay for dinner, claiming I was too sad I couldn't make it myself. It didn't seem like a full lie on my part, but really I just needed to get out of there for some reason. I tried to sleep in the car, my head still killing me. My mom wouldn't allow that, however, as she worried too much and asked questions that made it feel like I was repeating myself over and over again.

That night I didn't talk to Ben and just laid in bed, listening to my mother sitting downstairs on the phone and my brother's TV playing 'Family Guy' too loud in his room next to mine. I looked to my clock and saw it was already one. I could only wish to fall asleep, but the events of the day kept playing over and over in my head. It all made sense, sure, but somewhere in my subconscious one thing didn't link up with the other, but I didn't know what. Finally, when my clock blinked onto the numbers 3:00, my eyes fell closed and I fell into a blank sleep.

* * *

My mom didn't want me going to school the next morning, but I refused to stay home and went anyway. School was school and everything went as it normally did. It was a Friday, so all I did was listen to people talk about plans for the weekend. The only thing odd out of the whole day was lunch. I sat with Scott and Kurt and the rest. When I sat down, all of them looked at me and sort of stiffened up. I blinked back and forth at them, slowly sliding my sandwich out of the plastic bag.

"Uh….um…guys? Is this about the yesterday?" They didn't answer, just stared at me without actually looking me in the face. "Hey, I promise I don't have TB. You're pool is fine. I'm fine, everything's fine." Still no answer. I was starting to feel like I did before they all came into my life. I sighed, starting to pack up my lunch. "Fine, you don't want me here, I don't have to be."

"NO!" Kurt shouted, throwing his hands over the table to stop me. I stared wide-eyed. "I mean, uh, no need to leave. Ve're all just sort of…sorry that you hurt yourself. I should have varned you beforehand."

I settled back into my seat, taking a bite from my sandwich. "Uh, no problem at all. The pool probably had it out for me anyway. I probably peed in its mother when I was younger."

That got a laugh, and the tension in the air fell.

* * *

After the weekend, and a few days into the new school week, everything went back to normal with me and the new gang of friends. Kurt and I worked on the project, deciding to do most of it at the library now to avoid my crazy mother and vengeful pools. We got most of it done within three days, only needing to write out a speech and make a board now.

For once in my life, I was happy to not be a loner. Everyone was great, and we really became friends. I wouldn't call it a tight relationship, because whenever I walked over to the lunch table, I could tell they just changed the subject, or whenever Kurt skipped class randomly. He wouldn't tell me why after, and ignored it. They were nice and good friends, but something told me they were hiding something. It didn't bother me that much; I mean everyone has secrets, right? Even if I wished we could all be closer, go hang out on weekends, do something stupid, they never seemed to have time. All the extra time they had, outside of school, was kept mostly by whatever other extra activities they did in the mansion.

Again, I didn't care. It's what happens when you spend most of your high school life alone. I was use to being ignored or staying at home on weekends.

Of course, this was all before. Before I found out (again) and before I ended up captured and tied to a chair. I still haven't decided if I hate them or not, or if I'll forgive them.

It all happened one night, one week exactly from my little incident with the pool. I was talking to Ben who should have been studying for a test coming up. He didn't want to study, and I didn't object. We were talking about Kurt and the rest of them, and that little itch I couldn't seem to scratch with them.

"Hey, maybe you're just crazy and too scared to actually believe you have friends, so you're trying to figure out some way you can dump them."

I rolled my eyes, even though Ben wouldn't be able to see me through the phone. I knew he knew what I was doing. "Please, these guys are great! Why would I want to dump them? They got this awesome house and they're all awesome, and Kurt….he's just too adorable."

There was a soft chuckle on the other end of the phone. "Aww, is my baby sister getting a crush?"

"Pfft, no!" That didn't even convince me. "He's just a friend!"

Good thing Ben knew when to drop things, because he didn't ask about Kurt again. Just got back to the subject.

Outside my window it was dark. The numbers on my clock were about to turn onto eleven. I rolled onto my back, looking up at my ceiling. I'd hang up at twelve.

"Maybe their hiding something, like their all aliens!" Ben said, always one to love sci-fi stuff.

"No. I think I would have noticed if they were aliens. They've never tried to probe me anyway…"

"Fine, how about magic?"

It still didn't fit.

"Oh, come on Liz! I think you're just freaking out about the whole thing. Why do they have to be hiding something anyway?"

I groaned, rubbing my eyes. "I don't know! Just….something isn't right!"

"Like what? They mess with your head? Maybe they do have magical powers or alien technology to mess with your head and just make you think you're going nuts."

"No! They're….something just isn't…"

"Look, Liz, just forget it. Not everyone is hiding something. Maybe, just maybe, when you hit your head, something got jumbled. I mean, it's not like this Kurt kid is some crazy blue alien or—"

I froze. The phone fell to the floor with a clatter. I didn't hear my brother's voice asking what happened on the other side.

Blue.

That word, that color, he was…

It all came flooding back to me. All the little hints and clues that seemed to have disappeared from my brain, all the curiosity I got when something odd happened within their group, or even with Pietro and his little gang. Everything came back in the blink of an eye, and it all made more sense, and even less of it than normal.

I watched at the false memories of me slipping faded away, replaced with what I knew was true. I wasn't crazy, and I knew they were hiding something. Something I figured out, or rather saw, or…and they….they….

It was almost eleven thirty, but I didn't care. The streets were dark and I ran almost a full two miles to the gates of that mansion, but I still didn't care. My mother was still asleep, and so was everyone in the house I faced, but I didn't dare think about any consequences right then or there, because I needed to know what was going on. I needed to know the truth about it all, about everything.

Now.

My fingers were shaking in suppressed anger as I pushed the intercom button at the front gate to the mansion. I pushed it another three times before there was finally an answer.

"What?" It sounded like that guy, Logan, I met a week ago. He sounded pissed off because I just woke him up in the middle of the night, and I was sure he got really pissed off when this kind of thing happened, but I didn't care.

I spoke as clearly as I could, with as much force as I could push past the anger and confusion and frustration I felt. "Open up."

"Who is this?" The man's voice was turning from a growl into a snarl.

"Liz! Now open the gate!" Mine was slowly losing its cool.

"Kid, do you know what time it—"

"Open the goddamn gate!"

"Why?"

Why? He had the nerve to ask why? My anger all exploded at once as I looked past the metal bars and at the huge house far into the property. I saw a dim light in the entrance hall, and I was sure Logan would be able to hear me.

"BECAUSE KURT'S FUCKING BLUE!"

When the sentence snapped off in my mouth, I was panting and still shivering from the anger. I wasn't done. Not at all. But I wanted answers too. Answers to all my questions and I was going to get them whether they wanted me to or not.

There was no answer, no reply or growl or anything from the intercom. Was he really just going to ignore me like that? Fine.

I turned around.

I heard a click and the gate opened behind me.

No.

I still started to walk away.

"FUCK IT! You'll all probably lie to me again anyway!"

I then heard footsteps and finally stopped. There was really no reason to turn around to know that everyone from the house was standing behind me.

My hands were shaking as I curled them into fists. This was what Kurt's face was regretting, wasn't it? All this? This is why they all were so tense and scared the day after, wasn't it? This is why they all couldn't look me in the eye?

"Liz, wait. Please." That was Kurt. I really wish it wasn't.

Because I was going to get all my answers, and this time I wasn't going to forget anything.

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**A/N: Chapter five! Things start to get crazy! I'll have the next chapter up in about two weeks! Bye-bye until then! (Comments are always loved! Remember that!) **


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: Don't own the characters in this story or the TV show. The only thing I'm adding is the character Elizabeth.**

**A/N: This is a week late….but oh well. It was worth the wait, seeing as I had no inspiration, but now I have it back, and this will be finished within a month! **

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**Outside Looking In:**

**Chapter Six**

**Fall Apart**

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I turned. I turned around and was faced by everyone. Not just my school-goers, but Ororo, Logan, and Prof. Xavier. I looked around at them all, and they looked at me. My eyes were narrowed glares, the only thing I could think of to fight off the stupid water works. And then I looked at Kurt.

He wasn't blue.

"Change. Now." I said through gritted teeth, my nails digging into my curled hands.

They all stared at me with these stupid surprised looks on their faces, and I really wished I wasn't so violent, because I really wanted to punch them all in their stupid faces.

"Liz—"

"Shut up, Scott! Don't look at me like I'm stupid! You," I pointed straight at Kurt, "Are blue, and I want to see it right now! I'm not crazy! You're blue with these ears and yellow eyes and a tail! Fucking show me!"

I saw Kurt look to Xavier for some sort of support or guidance. The older man didn't look at him, just nodded slowly. That gave me the idea that he was the ring leader. Sure enough, Kurt pressed something on his watch (his watch that I've never seen him without!) and then he shimmered and the illusion fell, showing me his true self. And he was blue.

I didn't faint this time; I didn't react at all, because this is what I wanted. This is what I've been waiting for.

"Now tell me what you did to my head that made me forget about this."

The students all looked to Xavier again, who still didn't move or say anything. He just closed his eyes, thinking probably.

"Liz, we don't know what you're talking about." Jean spoke up. Her voice sounded all too sure of herself, like she'd done this before. I hated her for that.

"Yah, like, stop freaking out and blaming us for stuff!"

I glared my daggers at Kitty until she got the hint to shut up. Then, I continued my ranting. "No, stop lying to me!"

"We're not, you just hit your head and got amnesia—"

"No, I didn't! I saw Kurt; fainted, hit my head, sure, but I didn't get amnesia. If I did, I wouldn't have woken up knowing what happened! You people…" I looked around at them all, freaking out further, because this did sound crazy. I sounded crazy, but I knew it was the truth. "You people did something to my head! My memories…"

"Liz—"

"Scott."

Now everyone, even me, turned to look at the professor who finally spoke up. He was staring directly at me, not blinking at all, this intensity in his gaze. It almost unnerved me. It almost made me turn back around and forget everything, go back home and go to sleep, but I didn't. I held strong.

"Liz here," Xavier spoke again, "She deserves to know the true, correct?" He glanced back at Ororo and Logan for approval. They both gave it with a nod, though Logan's also came with a snarl.

He offered to go inside, but I refused to budge. The cool night air made my skin feel on fire, and it felt like it might start raining with how heavy the air was, but I refused. I didn't want to make them feel like this was okay.

So, I stood there and they stood there as Prof. Xavier explained to me everything. He explained what this boarding school really was, he explained that they all had mutant abilities with some a bit more obvious than others (Kurt). He explained that the reason I forgot what Kurt really looked like was because of his own mutant powers. Apparently he could do things with his mind. Read minds, control them, erase them, and so on. He demonstrated by talking to me in my head. I ignored him.

I waited until Xavier finished and everyone became quiet. Everything felt like it stopped, all was silent except for the chirping of crickets in the bushes and trees.

That is, until I couldn't hold it all in anymore. My chest was starting to hurt for some reason. It made my entire body heavy, heavy with everything, and I slowly slide down to my knees and cried.

"Oh, Liz—"

I snapped my head up at that, looking up at Scott with my blood shot eyes and whispered out through my sobs, "What can you do?"

He flinched slightly, because the anger was still there.

Slowly and cautiously, his fingers when to his sunglasses, ever present even now, and took them from his eyes. They were closed. He tilted his head up into the air and opened them.

I gasped.

A bright red beam lit up the sky, coming right from his eyes. Shades. I should have known.

Scott closed his eyes once more and put on his glasses, taking a few steps towards me while speaking. "Now you know why we had to let the professor put in different memories, so you wouldn't—"

"Don't. Touch. Me." I said before he could put a hand on my shoulder.

I jumped back from his grasp, wiping my eyes, trying to make the tears stop as all my rage started up once more.

"You think that just because you're all not normally you have the right to do that?" I said, taking a few more steps away from Scott.

"But, Liz, the way you reacted when you saw Kurt—"

I turned my attention to Jean now, because she was like Kitty and needed to know when to shut up.

"What? How did I react? Shocked? Scared? Yah, that's because someone I call a friend just turned into a fucking blue elf with a tail! That's why! I'm sorry I don't get to see that sort of shit all the time like you guys do! I'm not exacted used to it happening!"

She closed her mouth and stopped commenting.

I pointed at Xavier.

"You had no right! No right at all to go into my mind and mess with everything!"

"I'm sorry, but I was just acting in your best interest."

"Best interest?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing right now. "MY best interest? So you think going into my head and fucking around with my memories is in MY best interest? Oh my god, you people are more fucked up then I originally thought! What kind of morals do you have anyway? Just because you guys have such power, doesn't give you the right to use them!"

"Wait—"

I ignored whoever that was. "And to think…" I paused in my ranting, paused and looked up at them all and could feel the tears starting up against behind my eyes. "…to think I called you friends."

This seemed to take everyone by surprise, but Kurt reacted first. He pushed his way to the front of the crowd to stand just a few feet away from me. There was something in his yellow eyes, something I couldn't place. I figured yellow was harder to read then normal colors.

"Liz, we…we are your friends. Really, I thought…just because we're all…"

That was it. Hurt.

I sniffled back that crying, something I found really hard to do. I didn't want to hurt them…but they hurt me. It was only fair.

"No, it's not because you're all mutants. I don't give a shit about that."

"You…you don't?"

Why were they all having a hard time grasping this? What did they teach them in this institute?

"No, idiot. You lied to me. You all lied to me, and when I was close to figuring out the truth, you lied to me again AND messed around in my head. I mean…that's not right. If you're all supposed to be the good guys, then why is it so hard for all of you to trust people? People you don't even know yet?"

"We only did it because we've seen how humans react to our powers." This time it was Ororo.

"Yah, kid," Logan lifted his hand and I jumped a bit when three very sharp, very long, metal claws shot out from his knuckles. "People don't normally like us."

I fought with my surprise and fear to fire back at them. "Well, not everyone will! God! Just because a few people….no, just people everyone is ignorant assholes, doesn't mean I would be! You don't even know me! Sure, I freaked out, but as least I didn't brainwash someone!" My anger was returning. "And to think, you wonder why people might be AFRAID of you! If you have no control or morals what-so-ever when you decide 'Hey, I have superpowers? Great! Let's go screw with everyone's HEAD!' then of course people are going to be scared of you! You LIED TO ME!"

"Liz—"

I turned to Kurt, seriousness in my eyes. "Ask me something. Anything."

He looked at me, confused. "I don't know…like what?"

"Anything!"

"Uh, when were you born?"

"April 20th. Something else."

"I don't see the point in this…Liz…"

I growled in frustration. "Fine! Let's see."

And then I started to make my point.

"I was born on April 20th to a mother and father. I have an older brother named Ben. We were happy, really happy; my mom even had another kid. My younger brother, Josh, but then when I was six my dad died. He had cancer that spread too fast and no one could do anything to help him." I hadn't told anyone this in over three years. All their faces were confused or shocked. I continued on. "My mom broke down, because she just lost half of her team. When my dad left, everything changed for us. My mom had to work twice as hard. Ben became the man of the house, and I became the mother. Ben is the strongest, nicest person ever. He left for a university in California two years ago. It's been tough."

I liked my lips, wiped my eyes, and then went on. "Since high school started I've been the loner. I've been the girl that no one talks to and no one knows the name of, but I prided myself in knowing who everyone else was, because I wouldn't sink to their level. I know almost everyone's name at school and most of the lower classmen schedules. It's freaky, I know, but when you have no friends and sit by yourself at lunch then you learn to distract yourself from how stupid and pathetic you must look.

"I love cooking, baking, anything that has to do with the kitchen, I've probably mastered. I don't know what I want to do with my life, but I know sooner or later I'm going to open a restaurant or café or something just so I can cook all day. I also love books."

"When I go home each and every day, I worry. I worry because my brother Ben is thousands of miles away with no family nearby and only a few hours of conversation on the phone with me every night to keep him grounded. I worry that my little brother, Josh, won't get over his preteen angst and he'll actually do something really stupid really soon. I worry that my mom works too hard for a job she hates, but she can't stop doing it because she has three kids to take care of. I worry one day she might just snap, and I won't be able to help her."

I couldn't help myself, and started to cry.

"My name is Elizabeth, but all my friends call me Liz, but I don't have any friends and no one ever calls my name, so I don't have to worry about people messing it up. I can tell you right now, that none of this is a lie. I wouldn't do that to you guys, because you call me Liz. You're the closest things to friends I've had in a long time. And I wouldn't want to screw that up." I fought down a choked sob. "So, got anymore questions more me?"

They were all quiet. The only three that met my eyes were Scott, Logan, and Kurt. I wished I could see them clearer, but all the crying was blurring their images.

Kurt was the first one to speak, and again, I wish it wasn't him. I really did. My body was tired and my brain wasn't working anymore. I wanted to go home.

"Liz...we...it's hard to explain."

"Explain? Explain what? Why you lied to me? Why you all did what you did?"

"Yes, but," He didn't finished his thought.

"What? Why did I just do all that? Say all that? Make myself cry and make you all feel like shit?"

The German nodded slowly, lowering his head, because my gaze was too much for him. I could tell.

"Because, idiot, I like you. I really like you."

His head shot up, pointed ears twitching high, but he stayed silent.

"I liked all of you." I rubbed my eyes sore, wishing the black and yellow spots would stay so I didn't have to look at them. "I'm not going to tell anyone. Why would I? Not like anyone would listen. No one would even hear me. I'm invisible, remember?"

No one said anything, so I decided it was time to leave.

I sobbed once more and turned on my heels. My pajamas felt heavy and sticky.

"WAIT!"

I froze, waiting.

"You don't have to…" Kurt's voice sounded desperate, sad. I hated it.

"You all need to learn how to trust people. I'm going home..."

And I did.

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**A/N: Kind of short, yes, but that's okay. I felt it was a good place to stop. I'm hoping to get the next chapter out this weekend, just as long as I don't get writer's block again. Shout out to ****Descender of Terresia Mizuni**** for helping me fight back the block this week!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: Don't own the characters in this story or the TV show. The only thing I'm adding is the character Elizabeth.**

**A/N: Ugh…my brain seems so slow right now. School is starting up soon. I don't think I'll finish this by the time is does start, but I'll try my damnedest!**

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**Outside Looking In:**

**Chapter Seven**

**The Part in Which It Started**

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The next day at school was tough. I didn't sleep at all, just stayed up and worked. I worked on everything for the project. I split all the remaining work in half and finished my part. I even double checked and edited it all, including the stuff we had already put together. I was determined to not let the sleep get to me this time. I didn't want to feel that weak when I faced them.

When I finally stopped working and saw the sun had risen, I got ready for school, trying to ignore the heavy bags under by red, swollen eyes. I didn't know if I actually stopped crying that night, but at one point I just stopped making sounds, so I didn't know at all.

I was on time for school, going quickly to my classes. Scott tried to stop me on my way in, but I ignored him and looked on. Kitty was by my locker, so I decided I didn't need to grab my books or drop anything off. Kurt was waiting in class. I paid him no mind.

For the entire first half of school, all of them tried to get my attention. It wasn't like the week where we all just tried to ignore the other, or the conversation was heavy with hidden feelings and lies, it was I didn't want to talk. They tried, they did. Kurt was even desperate enough to teleport in the hall way to me, begging me with his eyes. I had to grip my binders until my knuckles turned white to turn away, down casting my eyes.

Finally, lunch came and I was ready to face them and finish everything. I brought all the project stuff I worked on the night before, right after I left they're mansion property. They were all surprised to see me come up to they're table. Jean even made a move to scoot over, but I didn't take the offer of a seat, instead, I dropped the binder and folder filled with my perfectly typed half of the assignment along with many pictures for the project board. I turned to him and took a breath.

He almost looked excited, until I finally opened my mouth.

"This is everything you need. My half of the project is done. I've typed it all up, edited, double checked, proof read, and if you want the first draft, it's in there too. I've printed out twenty-two pictures of all our major points, and I even wrote down notes and captions. All you need to do is follow the list of your half I felt in the folder. I'm sorry I didn't buy a board, but the art store isn't open at seven in the morning."

His face fell when I finished, his head looking up and down from the project information and me. I thought he just might break down there. "Liz, I—"

"Don't." I said sternly. "I'm tired of all this crap. If you don't trust me, if you really don't want me to know about your lives, then I won't." My arms were crossed as I gave everyone at the table my best glare for going on no sleep. "You can go back to doing exactly what you all did before I got here and I'll go back to doing what I was doing."

I turned from the table, heading off in some random direction to find an empty place to eat my lunch.

"But what were you doing?!" I heard Scott shout behind me. Kurt was probably still speechless and hurt.

I whipped around and shouted back: "What do you think!?" before disappearing into the crowd of hungry teenagers.

Part of me still wished I could call they're table mine.

* * *

The next few days were tense. I didn't get much sleep, and the "X-men" still didn't leave me alone. The days turned into weeks as I tried so hard to just be invisible again. I could do that, seeing as I did it for years, but it was always hard to be invisible when everywhere you turned people saw you.

"Liz, come on! We didn't mean it!"

"Just let us talk to you! God, so rude!"

"Liz, please, we can fix all this…"

"Elizabeth, you don't have to ignore us like this. We just want to be friends."

Everyone tried except Kurt and Rogue. Rogue I could understand, seeing as she didn't seem to be the talking and making-up type. Kurt, well, I just think he was too hurt or too nervous to face me.

It wasn't just them and me to notice that I was acting weird too. My mom noticed my lack of sleep because of my heavy dark ringed eyes, and Ben could hear it in my voice over the phone.

One night, I even broke down and told him everything I could. I wouldn't tell him about they're powers, because then I'd be just as bad as the rest of them, but I did tell him that they screwed up and so did I. I cried to him over the phone for an hour or so. He wished he was there with me, or at least closer, and then I mentioned dad and how I missed him and Ben sort of froze up. I finished off the conversation with a little sniffling and an "I love you." Ben finished it with a heavy sigh and said, "Don't worry so much, Lizzy," He only called me Lizzy when he really meant it. When I needed to be cheered up. "Everything will work out for the better, I promise."

I hung up the phone right after I told him dad would really be proud if he could see him today.

Ben told me he loved me.

I went to school the next day in a really sullen mood. I wasn't up for the on slaughter of begging and apologies and attempted chatting I had to deal with, plus all the avoiding. It was draining me of energy, along with the fact that I couldn't sleep for more then a few hours every night.

However, I was surprised to find the school's entrance Scott free, and my locker lacking any other unwanted guests. Even in all my classes, it was quit. I felt like they did all those weeks ago, before all this started, creepy, alone, and kind of tired. Maybe everything would just go back to normal? Maybe they all did give up?

No, it wouldn't be that easy. It never was with me, or them it seemed.

Art was a fairly easy class, plus it was my kind of relaxing period from all my ex-mutant "friends" because all I had was Rogue in this class, and she never did anything but paint or sculpt.

That wouldn't be the case for today.

"Listen."

She came up to me half way through the period; a cold looked on her face. Something that told me she didn't really want to do this.

"If one of the others put you up to this, I don't care, because—"

"Just listen to me!"

I looked up from my easel, putting down my paint brush in the process, because Rogue was the only one beside Kurt who hadn't tried to talk to me yet.

"God! You don't have to be such a bitch about everything, alright?"

I was going to open my mouth to comment, but she stopped me dead in my tracks.

"No, don't say anything. Please, I think you've said enough. Just pay attention for once in your life, because it seems you don't do much of it." She paused for a moment, trying to keep her cool. "Look, if you haven't gotten the message yet, they're sorry, we're all sorry."

"Sorry—"

"Goddamnit! Just shut up! You think you're the only one who can go on and on about how horrible people are?"

This sort of took me by surprise, and I knew she could see it in my face.

"That's right, because you're life isn't the only one that sucks. We all just learn to deal, roll with the punches. You on the other hand seem to feel it's better to lock it all away and make everyone else as miserable as you are!"

"It's not my fault you all don't trust me!" I had enough of this. I wasn't going to be attacked for something that wasn't my fault!

"Trust you? What? Enough to tell us our secrets?" Her voice lowered to an angered whisper as she got closer to me so no one else in the room could hear. "You? Some girl we just met a month ago? If you haven't realized already, it's not exactly the easiest thing to tell people!"

"What? That you can fuck with people's minds?!"

"No! That if I touch them, they'll go a coma for months? That I can't actually have a real relationship with anyone, just incase I accidently kill them? Yes! But that's not my point!"

"Oh yeah, that's right, your point is I make everyone else feel bad! If I didn't know better, I'd think you're just peachy!"

"Not me!" She shouted, which made a lot of the other students in the room turn to look at us. We both gave them glares, telling them to go back to work. "Not. Me." She repeated, quieter, slower.

"Then who?"

"Kurt, you idiot! Kurt!"

All my defenses and witty remarks fell away when she said that.

"If you haven't noticed, because you're too wrapped up in being alone and miserable, your little bitch-fit is actually killing him too. He's felt like shit ever since you left the mansion that night. He doesn't eat, doesn't sleep, he can't even crack a joke because of you!"

I was stunned.

I couldn't think of anything to say to that.

That's when the bell rang. Rogue collected all her things, glaring at me as she left. "Yeah, so maybe you should think a bit more before you act, _Liz_." Right before exiting, she turned around in the doorway and told me one last thing. "Also, if you didn't know, he's like this because he really likes you, but then again, you must know, because you know everything!?"

Now I felt even worse then when I woke up.

Great.

* * *

"Are you sure you'll be alright?"

"Yeah mom."

"You sure?"

I half smiled at her. It was still a lie, and today I couldn't pull a real one. "Yah, just go to work, okay?"

She left, but it took a few more minutes of persuasion. She was already almost an hour late.

It was the next day, the day after Rogue told me about Kurt. I went home that day feeling ill. It got worse as time went by and I thought about it. By the time I woke up I puked and hade a mild fever. I knew it was just my mind making the guilt turn against me, but I still didn't want to admit it. I wasn't the one at fault here, it was them.

I stayed home, of course, in a big empty house filled with nothing but the sounds of old reruns and my own thoughts. I don't think it was helping with my fever, because as I thought, I felt worse and worse. I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep, and I was falling apart from every direction. My mind was going, my emotions, and now my body.

I wished they weren't there. I wished I never met them. I wished I could just go back to feeling normal. I never felt this bad when it was just me and my world. I didn't want to deal with it all, with them. But…

But at the same time, the guilt grew and grew, making me think about it all. Making me think about what if I was just back to being normal and alone. I would be at school reading books I've read three times over and sleeping in classes were the teachers couldn't even spell my name right.

Then they came along. Then Kurt and I had to pair up for this stupid project and I got….I got a sense of something that was normal. Something that was friends and laughter and happiness. I didn't know which world was better or worse. The one were I could deal with it all and be by myself, or the one where the people I wanted to call friends lied to me and I couldn't deal with anything anymore.

Why couldn't it just be easy? Why couldn't everything just work out for me, just once? Why not?

Beyond my thoughts and the tv, I heard someone knocked on my door. I turned to look at it from my position on the couch, hoping they would just go away. I held my breath and counted the seconds. I got to seven before the knocking grew louder and more frantic. I let it go to the fourth knock before I thought the door would break down by the knocker's fist.

"What! What! What! Wha—" The door flew open and the fever blurred my vision, but I still saw what was beyond the door. I gasped, eyes wide. "Oh…God…" I whispered before my brain finally kicked in and tried to slam the door shut once more.

It didn't work.

"Oh, how rude! Not inviting us in!" Pietro was at my side before I even saw him move. Fred held the door open. Lance and Todd looked at me with grins and wicked eyes.

They had to be mutants too. They had to be. I had to get Scott. I had to get anyone. They'd help. They did last time. I had—

My strands of thought were cut off as Pietro's fist made contact with my stomach. I gasped, falling to the floor, clutching at my gut, desperate for air.

"Not so tough without your X-men buddies, hu?" Pietro mocked, kicking me in the ribs. I might have heard one or two crack, or maybe it was just the fever playing mind tricks.

Another kick.

"Hey, don't hurt her too bad. We still need her in one piece."

One piece…?

Pietro growled, getting in one final kick before backing off and letting Fred make his way over to my limp form.

I just watched at the massive teen grinned and lifted his hand.

Pain coursed through my entire body as my head whipped to the side.

The last thing I heard was laughing.

Then black.

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**A/N: Hm, well, I think I have two chapters to go? School started up, but I'll get out the chapters as soon as possible. Oh, and I'm sorry if the last few chapters have more errors then normally, as I haven't been having my regular beta checking them. I'm just too lazy for that. So, I'm sorry if it all makes no sense. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: Don't own the characters in this story or the TV show. The only thing I'm adding is the character Elizabeth.**

**A/N: I'm a terrible person. About four months? I have nothing to say but sorry. (Once more, beta-ed by me, so I'm also sorry for any misspellings or terrible grammar.)  
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**Outside Looking In:**

**Chapter Eight**

**When Everything Starts To Feel Better**

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I woke up to the sound of dripping water. It felt like a screw driver being plunged into my skull. I could only grit my teeth and moan as my voice wouldn't seem to work and my body wasn't working right enough for me to hold my head. It was dark, or at least my eyes made it seem dark. I couldn't tell if it was just me or where I was; the sound of the drops where continuous. I counted to four before I couldn't hear them anymore and figured I blacked out.

I woke up again sometime later, not knowing what time it was or being able to concentrate long enough to actually attempt to figure it out. This time I kept my eyes open long enough that they would adjust to the darkness. It didn't help much, but I could make out the shape of the chair that I was tied to. My arms were tied tightly to the back; the strain of the position irritating my arms. The drops of water were still there. Everything smelled damp and old, so I was sure I had no idea where I was.

It took me a while to remember why I was in the possession I was in at the moment. Pietro, Fred, Todd, and Lance. When I did recall the encounter, my breath hitched in my throat and I tensed up until I realized they weren't there. No one was. Nothing except me and the dripping water. My head sagged. I still was trying to get the clouds to drift out of the corners of my minds, but the fog was still there. My head throbbed whenever I thought too hard. I groaned. Now what?

"H-hel—O?" I coughed and choked out. My throat was closed up and dry as if I hadn't used it for years. I hoped it hadn't been that long. I licked my lips and tried again. "Hel—lo?" It still cracked, but it sounded louder. My voice bounced off the walls and came back to my ears. Nothing. I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate. "Is someone THERE?!" I managed to get it out in one go, my voice rising at the end. Right then I didn't really care if Pietro or one of my other three kidnappers came to my reply. They'd probably bring light and some news of where I was or what was going to happen. That's how the bad guys worked, right? They talk to you long enough that you have some clue of their intentions? I just hoped it wasn't killing me. I hoped if they were going to do that, they'd done it by now.

Even so, there was still no answer except the water. It was starting to annoy me and vibrate loud enough that it hit me right behind my eyes so I couldn't think further. My hands clenched and unclenched behind me as I licked my lips once more. Might as well try again. I took in a deep breath (the air was stale and mold tasting).

"ANYONE?!" I screamed with everything I had, and regretted it afterwards when my head pounded hard enough that I almost fell unconscious once more, but if it wasn't for the light—

I winced as it hit my sensitive eyes, completely blind except for the dark and blurry form coming toward me from the doorway that had admitted the light. It wasn't bright, but enough to know there was a light on the other side of the door, and I had to believe it was still night time. My head fell to the side, trying to escape. Of course, there would be none.

There was a hand on my chin faster than my mind could register. For a second I thought I had just completely missed almost five seconds of reality, and then the hand jerked my head up to stare into sharp blue eyes. In some ways, my reality did falter. It was Pietro. Of course, it would be. I wanted to bite some sort of witty or sarcastic remark at him or spit in his face, but he must have seen it written on my face as he squeezed my jaw harder until my cheeks crushed my mouth and the bones grinned against each other. I still glared as best I could.

"We were wondering when you'd wake up. Almost thought you were dead for a while. Good thing you're not. That would kind of be useless." He let go of my jaw, but a quick blur later my head snapped back and I saw black spots within my vision. He hit me. Probably so I couldn't speak or react. "Now be a good bitch and stay awake." Before I recovered, he was gone and the door was closed and probably locked once more, the dark void fell on me once more.

I screamed. I screamed out all my frustrations and all my fear. I screamed because that's all I could do. I screamed so anyone, even the bad guys, could maybe here me. I screamed because I was tired of crying. I screamed because I made Kurt cry. I screamed because in the back of my mind I thought I'd never be able to see my mom again or hear my brother on the other side of the phone, counting down the days until his summer break. I screamed because I wanted to see Scott on the stairs at school again and I wanted to sit with them at lunch and laugh. I screamed because Rogue was right. Completely and utterly right.

I coughed and spit. I tasted blood in my mouth from Pietro's fist against my jaw. My head ached and throbbed and I shook it, only making it feel worse. My hair clung to my skull in an odd fashion, persuading me it was glued there with dried blood from Fred's blow. I coughed and coughed until my lungs felt like they'd give out. My body, tired and in pain, fell forward in the chair. My arms protested. I didn't really care.

Pietro's words ran through my head. They echoed like the everlasting drops of water. He wanted me awake. So, in my only and last effort of rebelliousness, I closed my eyes and fell asleep. It was the only thing I could do.

* * *

I woke to that of an explosion and muffled voices screaming. My mind was fogged and my reactions were slurred as I tried to wake up quickly. Instinctively I attempted to move my arms and legs. Both of which were stilled tied tightly to the assorted parts of chair. I franticly pulled and rubbed, only furthering the irritation of my arms and wrists. By the time I stopped, I was sure they were red and they clearly felt raw and burned. My mouth opened to call out for someone, anyone, but the only things that came out were little squeaks and groans that barely made it to my own ears.

Within minutes the commotion outside quieted and calmed, which made me nervous and agitated as I fidgeted in my chair, blind eyes jumping from one corner of the room to the other, looking closely and listening even harder.

Then, with a gasp of air and a blink of my eye, a corner of the room exploded with bright red light, the debris falling everywhere. Light pooled into the room, casting shadows were the small source didn't reach. The voices and noises got louder. My mind raced; somewhere within it I knew I had seen that light from somewhere. Somewhere.

Another laser of red blasted away another hole in the room in which I was held, this time it got close enough that I felt the heat on my arm and the pressure from it and the explosion sent my chair toppling over. I was thrown across the room, hitting my side hard, cuts and scratches forming as exposed skin scraped against rocks and sharp material on the dirty ground. I landed in a small pool of water. A pipe dripped above me. My vision was obscured by the angle.

Voices. Familiar voices. They were all from school, all those with powers it seemed. Scott. That's where the light was from. The explosions. Scott. Oh, god, it was them. X-men were they called? My… I didn't dare say friends, but I didn't care. They had to find me. They had to know I was here.

"SCOTT? SCOTT?! UH—KURT! SOMEONE, ANYONE, PLEA—"

The door blew open and a body came with it. It smacked right into the back wall before stopping. Quickly, it got up and was running, blurred, Pietro.

"SCOTT I'M IN—"

He was on me in a second. Fire in his eyes.

"SC—"

"SHUT UP!" The angered shout came at me with an angered kick. Then a punch, a kick, another kick, and then it began to become things I couldn't see or tell. All I knew was they hurt and I couldn't move or block any of them. He kept screaming and shouting at me, the scattered noises from the rest of the world faded into just his voice and the sounds of his body parts impacting with my own. "STUPID BITCH RUING EVERYTHING! ALWAYS RUINING EVERYTHING! WHY. CAN'T. YOU. JUST. DIE!"

That last one, the one that came down with the word 'die' was right to my head. Everything turned off for a second, my world went black once more, but my ears started up first.

"LEAVE HER ALONE!"

More noises, the kicking and punching and shouting had stopped, at least on my body. I could hear the sound of fighting close by. Feel the air being cut by movement. The world slowly came back, shapes first, and then color and words still didn't line up with movements of mouth. Everything still blurred.

I felt hands untie me and hands pick me up. They were warm and soft and felt wonderful. I still flinched.

"Liz, Liz…" The voice was so soft and friendly. "It's okay. Please, everything vill be okay now." Familiar.

My hands gripped skin (fur) and fabric. I made the motion of smiling, but I'm not sure if it showed through. My head found a chest.

"Ge…rman." My mouth muttered. In my mind I picked him. Kurt. My hand rubbed against what I suspected was his cheek. I never knew his fur would be so soft. "D—do..n…t…" I squeezed his shoulder weakly, trying to get across what my mouth couldn't. My eyes were slowly closing.

"Liz. No, Liz! You can't sleep now. You have to keep your eyes open." A gloved hand was slapping me softly in the cheek. It sent waves of pain through my body, but I couldn't care much as everything started to just stop. "Nein, nein, nein! You can't sleep. Not now. You have to stay avake. Keep vith me. Keep…vith…" The words began to fade. "…m..e…Li…zzz…" It went quiet.

I was gone.

* * *

The sound of beeping woke me up. It was constant and steady, just like the water droplets from last time I was awake, or at least it felt like last time. I don't really know anymore. Everything was bright when it all came into focus. And white. I looked around and recognized the room as a hospital room and wondered, for a second, whose it was until I saw the flowers on the table. The card read "Get Well Soon, Liz." And my heart dropped.

I didn't get out until almost a week later.

I didn't ask how long it had been since…I was apparently kidnapped. I finally found out when I went home and saw that the calendar was changed to the next month. Since the night Pietro and the others took me, it had been three weeks and two days. My house was still since then. Nothing moved or changed on the outside, but I looked closer. The coffee bag was almost empty. The electricity bill was higher, and we had a new door at the front entrance. With three locks. My mother kept mentioning getting a dog.

In all the time I was in the hospital, all the time I was awake that is, not once did I see any sight of one student from the Xavier Institute, and for a while I thought it was all just a dream. I made it all up. When I returned to school everyone asked about the break in. Apparently that's what was going around. Someone broke into my house and attacked me. Some people even thought I had been raped. I wasn't, but the break in was mostly true. At first, I thought that this was what my mother believed as well, but I knew differently one night.

She had made dinner, a task I felt ashamed I couldn't do as my arm was still in a sling and I still couldn't figure out how to walk with a crutch. My mother had been home a lot more. She didn't stay late at night or go to early meetings. She wasn't on the phone as much and was just remembering how to actually be a house hold mother again.

The subject was brought up when I was trying to tell her how to cook the chicken.

"Kurt stopped by this morning." She said, not looking up from the preparation of the meal.

I sat straight. "What? When? I—"

"You already left for school. He just missed you."

"And? What did he say?!" This was the first I heard of Kurt or any of the other mutants in almost a month. They hadn't been in school since I went back. I even walked home the long way to pass by the gates of the Institute to see if I could spot them. I never did.

"Nothing." That was a lie. She gripped the spoon harder. "I…I don't want you seeing him. Or any of them anymore, understand?"

"W-what?" I couldn't believe it. "Why not?!"

This question seemed to push her over the edge. She slammed down the wooden spoon and turned to me, her eyes blood shot and watering with tears. "Look what happened to you! What they did to you! How could—"

"THEY did to me? Mom—they—they SAVED me!"

"If it wasn't for them, none of this would have happened! None of—"

"How do you even know any—"

"They TOLD me, Elizabeth!"

This made me pause.

She repeated herself, this time slower, calmer. "They…told me. Everything. No one can just bring someone else's daughter into a hospital in a critical condition, unconscious with a concussion and eight broken bones and not tell their mother what happened." She was openly crying now. Sobbing. "I thought…I thought I was going to lose you." She broke down.

I hugged her as best I could and just let her fall. I felt the shaking in her shoulders and the shutters through her body. For almost an hour we stayed like that. She cried until the food was burned and I had to let her lie down in the living room. It took another ten minutes to make her let go. I didn't know what to do, so I went to my room and called my brother.

"I can't tell you."

"You can't tell me?"

The wire was twisted around my finger several times. I sighed. "No, but…it's bad. Mom's bad."

I heard him sigh on the other line too. "Well…" I could picture him running a hand through his hair. "I don't know what to tell you, kid. I don't really know much about…anything." My mom was the only one who did know. If she didn't tell Ben, she didn't tell anyone else.

"But you're supposed to always know what to do." I whined, wishing he had the answer now, just like he normally did.

Another sigh. "Just…all I can tell you is…do the right thing."

I half smiled. "Thanks, Ben."

"No problem."

I hung up the phone.

Do the right thing. Or… I thought about it and came to a conclusion. What I thought was the right thing.

* * *

I paid the cab driver and thanked him. My mother had fallen asleep on the couch, so I was safe to leave. She wouldn't wake up anytime soon.

The gates were taller and grander then I remembered. With a second look everything seemed bigger and better then the surrounding area. I felt alone and unwelcomed.

My finger hit the intercom buzzer.

"Name and reason." The voice belonged to Logan, gruff and blunt as usual.

"It's Liz."

A pause and then the gate opened. I walked up.

When the door opened, I expected everyone to be standing around, waiting. Instead, I found Professor Xavier, Logan, and Ororo as my welcome party.

"I don't think your mother would approve of this visit, Liz. Or that fact that it is so late at night." Xavier said.

"Yeah, and that's what you need to fix."

His eyes looked confused.

"Excuse me?"

I sighed and then got all my courage up to look him straight in the eyes. "I want you to change my mom's memories, like you did mine."

This came as a shock to all of them.

"What happened to all that 'it's not moral' shit?" Logan asked, snarling at me.

I glared. "It's the right thing to do now."

"Pfft. And why's that?"

"Because it's killing her." Logan got quiet then. I was tired of explaining myself. I tensed. "Please, just…please. She needs to think exactly what everyone else does. She needs to not be so afraid."

Xavier was calm. "She will still be worried, Liz. Still scared and hurt over what happened to you."

I felt tears coming on. I hated tears.

"Yes, but at least she won't be scared of you guys."

The room went silent.

"And…I want to see everyone again. I don't want to push them away, or be pushed away. I just…want things to be alright again. I want everything to be okay again!"

Logan's and Ororo's eyes fell on their leader. So did mine. His eyes were closed in concentration. When he opened them, he spoke.

"As you wish."

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**A/N: Next is the last chapter/epilogue. It will be up soon.**


	9. Chapter 9 Epilogue

**Disclaimer: Don't own the characters in this story or the TV show. The only thing I'm adding is the character Elizabeth.**

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**Outside Looking In:**

**Epilogue**

**Tying Up the Loose Ends**

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A month past. Today is a Tuesday. I'm sitting on the first row of the football bleachers, scared if I go any higher I won't be able to get down fast enough without injuring myself even more then I already am. I'm still on a crutch, but my arm just has a cast on it now. It's still early and the birds are just beginning to get up. The school is quiet, except for a few early teachers. Everything appears still as I stare up at the pale morning sky. From what seems far away, I hear the crunch and movement of grass but am too tired and zoned out to care much. That is, until I feel someone sit down next to me, silently, and the entire world seems like it paused. My body tenses. I don't have to look to know who's sitting there.

"So, is this like our meeting place now?" I asked, still not facing Scott, even though I could feel his stare on me. I don't think I could have brought myself to actually look at him. I still felt so ashamed.

He said nothing in reply and I sighed, feeling like the weight of the world was on my shoulders. My heart ached.

"Shades, look—"

"Liz." It was the first time in a long time that someone called me that. It made me look up at Scott. He sat there with his red sunglasses on, just as he always did, and I broke down.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry—to you and everyone else and Kurt—"

He caught me in his arms when my body couldn't hold itself up anymore. He held me as I sobbed into my chest, releasing everything that I'd been holding back for so many weeks. It hurt and I hated how vulnerable I felt, but Scott was there and his hold on me was strong; his arms protecting, and he let me cry.

"It's okay, Liz, it's okay…" He mumbled into my ear, repeating the mantra for a few minutes as I finally calmed down and stopped repeating how sorry in turn that I was. He said he was sorry too, sorry for not being there fast enough and sorry for ever lying to me and sorry for everything else.

Afterwards, he still held me when my crying finally stopped and I just felt tired. So tired.

"Could you..uh, wake me up when the bell rings?" I asked, already drooping against his shoulder.

I heard him laugh above me, softly, cracking a smile. "Sure."

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After school, I waited for Kurt on the stairs. We hadn't spoken since the night I called everyone a liar. We had both simply ignored each other, trying to get through school and classes without having to stare at each other too long. All I ever saw when I looked at him was what he looked like in his true form and that sad face he now almost always had on his features. He probably only saw the broken bruised mess I was. I still needed to apologize to him, because he at least deserved that.

I saw him moved past quickly, not pausing at all even if he did see me. Thankfully, by now most of the other students had left and I could simply call his name instead of trying to hobble after him.

"Kurt!" I called, shouting out to him, and for a moment he didn't pause at all, so I tried again. "Kurt, please—stop!"

I saw his shoulders tense, but his body froze and feet paused. Slowly, he turned around and we both looked into each other's eyes.

"Could we, uh, talk or something?" I asked, still unsure of the waters we both tread on. I gestured to the empty school staires. He said nothing for a while and, for a second, I thought he was going to ignore me again and leave, but then I heard him sigh heavily and his shoulders fell.

"Ja," He said just barely above a whisper and made his way over to me. We sat down on the school steps in silence for a while, just looking out at the empty parking lot and the cars moving past on the streets beyond it. There was tension in the air between us, heavy and awkward. I bit my lip.

"So, um—"

"How is—" He cut in, surely feeling the awkward silence as well. I let him continue, as I really couldn't find the words yet. "How is…your mother?"

My eyes went wide, but the soon fell when I thought about it. Of course he knew, they all probably knew.

"She's fine. Still really protective and always tries to drive me to school, but she's…okay. She's not…scared of you anymore." I said the last words carefully, trying to make them sound less negative. It wasn't his fault anyway. I didn't and never would blame him.

"That's, ah, good. And…how are you?"

That question held too much. How was I? Physically, I was getting better. Could be worse, but mentally and emotionally I was still falling apart from guilt with everything. With Kurt and Scott. With everyone else back at the mansion. With my mother, especially, but…

"I'm…okay." I lied, and instantly knew it wouldn't work as Kurt's hand reached out to grab mine, the good one, and squeezed gently.

"I'm so sorry we didn't find you sooner." He said softly. I could feel the regret and sadness in his voice. It made me want to cry again, but I fought back the water that was already starting to cluster in my eyes. "If we—"

"Don't," I cut in, squeezing his hand back. "Don't. It's not your fault or any of your faults. None of you could have prevented it. And…it—it's okay now."

Pietro and the others hadn't been in school since the attack. Inside I was grateful for it, but I still found myself jumping and flinching away when people touched me. But, I would get through.

"I'm still…" Kurt didn't finish and his head hung low.

I licked my lips, still holding his hand. "I'm sorry too. For—for being so awful to you guys. I understand what you did and why, I was just so mad and confused and angry. I never—I never wanted to hurt you. Any of you, but you especially. I just—"

Kurt looked up and smiled at me. It was a genuine smile that I hadn't seen him wear in a long time. I smiled back.

"So, we're okay than?" I asked, still unyielding to let go of his hand.

His smile widened and he laughed. "Yeah, we're okay. Just as long as you bake me a batch of chocolate chips cookies."

"With walnuts?"

"You know it!"

I laughed as well and we both stood, him helping me up with the crutch.

"I never did get to use that kitchen of yours…" I muttered, eying him up and down.

He grinned wickedly and I saw a flash of his canines. "I think I can fix that." He said and quickly grabbed me by the waist, pulling me up into his arms, crutch and all. I clung to him tightly, surprised by the gesture.

"Kurt, what are you—"

"Hold on, I'll teleport us to the mansion."

My eyes widened with surprise and a hint of fear before it died down, replaced with mischief and wonder. I smiled again.

"On ward!" I said, pointing out into the streets beyond the school just as we went up in a cloud of smoke, smelling heavy of sulfur and brimstone.

Both of us laughed the entire way there.

_End._

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**A/N: It's over. That's it. Thanks for reading and replying and sticking with me. I'm surprised I've still been getting so many favs and alerts even though this thing hasn't been updated for years. I finally finished this after realizing I couldn't just stop things. I wanted to finish it. I had actually tried to do so countless times before, but nothing ever seemed to end right. Until now. It's not what I had originally planned, but I do love this outcome, so here. Thank you for reading and sticking around. You guys are the best.**


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